Possible influence of genes located on chromosome 6 within or near to the major histocompatibility complex on development of essential hypertension.

Studies both in spontaneously hypertensive rats and in humans have suggested that genes within or near to the HLA complex on chromosome 6p may be associated and linked to the regulation of blood pressure. The aim of this study was to determine whether HLA alleles and their combinations contribute to increased blood pressure, as well as to identify chromosome region that may contain genes involved in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension. Our results suggest that presence of HLA-DRB1*0101/2 DQB1*0501/2 DQA1*0102 allelic combination represents risk factor for development of essential hypertension in Slovenians, while the risk is decreased in individuals possessing HLA-DRB1*1601/2 DQB1*0502 DQA1*0102 or DRB3*. The linkage study indicates a possibility that at least one of the genes responsible for increased blood pressure is located near or within the HLA complex. A possible candidate is human endotelin-1 gene encoding a highly potent vasoactive peptide.