Objective: To investigate the relationship between the polymorphism of angiotensinogen gene (AGT) and the risk for hypertension in a Chinese population.
Methods: Three polymorphisms of AGT gene were analyzed in 335 patients with documented essential hypertension and 196 control subjects by using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Expectation maximization(EM) algorithm was then used for pairwise linkage disequilibrium test and haplotype analysis of AGT polymorphisms.
Results: Linkage disequilibrium between M235T and A-20C, between M235T and A-6G, between A-20C and A-6G was observed (P<10(-4)). The case-control analysis revealed that the frequency of T235 is significantly higher in essential hypertension patients than in control subjects. But all haplotype frequencies showed no significant difference between the patient and control groups.
Conclusion: No association was noted between the haplotypes of AGT gene and hypertension in tested people, but T235 allele might play an important role in increased risk for essential hypertension.