Associations of the angiotensinogen gene (M235T, T174M) and the angiotensin I-converting enzyme gene (I/D) with blood pressure in Japanese workers.

Blood pressure may be influenced by several polymorphisms associated with hypertension, such as the angiotensinogen gene (M235T, T174M) and the angiotensin I-converting enzyme gene (I/D). We investigated the associations of these polymorphisms with blood pressure and components of the renin-angiotensin system in Japanese workers. Additionally, we examined whether the polymorphisms were independently associated with blood pressure when other factors were taken into consideration in a general linear model. The study population, which was entirely Japanese, consisted of 196 male subjects. Subjects were selected from workers who received a company health examination. Systolic blood pressure of the M235T MM genotype was significantly higher than that of the MT genotype. Diastolic blood pressure of the M235T MM genotype was significantly higher than that of the MT or TT genotypes. Serum ACE activity of the ACE II genotype was significantly lower than that of the ID or DD genotypes. Multivariate analysis using a general linear model, including age and body mass index, demonstrated that the M235T MM genotype was one of the independent factors affecting blood pressure. The present study demonstrated that the M235T MM genotype was independently associated with systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure in Japanese male workers.