Wpływ polimorfizmów genów ACE i angiotensynogenu na rozwój otyłości brzusznej oraz strukturę i funkcję mięśnia lewej komory — wyniki 10-letniej prospektywnej obserwacji młodych zdrowych mężczyzn

Background Genetic and environmental factors play a major role in the pathogenesis of hypertension. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene and angiotensinogen (AGT) gene increase the susceptibility to abdominal obesity and affect left ventricular function and structure in a 10-year follow-up of a young healthy male population Material and methods The study was carried out in a group of 68 normotensive subjects, aged 23 ± 3.5 years, mean ± SD. The subjects underwent the following procedures: anthropometric measurements, basic biochemical tests, office blood pressure measurements, ambulatory blood pressure measurements (ABPM), echocardiography. The I/D polymorphism within intron 16 of the ACE gene and AGT gene polymorphism (the allele M235T and T174M) were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction. Results No relationship between waist circumference and ACE, AGT polymorphisms was observed. The structural changes of the heart differed significantly in T174M AGT TT genotype with increased septum/ /posterior wall ratio compared to TM and MM: (1.20 ± 0.12 v. 1.1 ± 0.11 cm; p Conclusions In a healthy population, the ACE and AGT polymorphisms might contribute to the structural and functional changes of the heart, but not to development of abdominal obesity or hypertension. Arterial Hypertension 2011, vol. 15, no 4, pages 242–250.