Objective: To determine whether the angiotensin II type I receptor gene might be implicated in human essential hypertension.
Methods: This was a case-control study on hypertension and normal blood pressure in Chinese DNA abstracted samples from 51 cases of essential hypertension and 74 normal controls were analysed by polymerase chain reaction,digestion of restriction enzyme and electrophesis.
Results: The genotype frequency of 1166A/1166C was 0. 196 (10/51) in the essential hypertension group, 0.081 (6/74) in the control group. The genotype frequency of 1166C/1166C was 0 in both groups. The gene frequency of 1166C was 0.098 in the essential hypertension group, 0.041 in the controls. There was a significant increase in allelic frequency of 1166C in hypertension.
Conclusion: The results indicate that the increase in allelic frequency of 1166C is a risk factor and hence suggest that the change in the angiotensin II type I receptor gene is associated with essential hypertension.