GRK4 genetics and response to beta-blocker

The Klotho Variant rs36217263 Is Associated With Poor Response to Cardioselective Beta-Blocker Therapy Among Filipinos

A common drug used for hypertension among Filipinos is beta-blockers. Variable responses to beta-blockers are observed, and genetic predisposition is suggested. This study investigated the association of genetic variants with poor response to beta-blockers among Filipinos. A total of 76 Filipino adult hypertensive participants on beta-blockers were enrolled in an unmatched case-control study. Genotyping was done using DNA from blood samples. Candidate variants were correlated with clinical data using χ² and logistic regression analysis. The deletion of at least one copy of allele A of rs36217263 near Klotho showed statistically significant association with poor response to beta-blockers (dominant; odds ratio (OR) = 3.89; P = 0.017), adjusted for diabetes and dyslipidemia. This association is observed among participants using cardioselective beta-blockers (crude OR = 5.60; P = 0.008) but not carvedilol (crude OR = 2.56; P = 0.67). The genetic variant rs36217263 is associated with poor response to cardioselective beta-blockers, which may become a potential marker to aid in the management of hypertension.

Variation in genes that regulate blood pressure are associated with glomerular filtration rate in Chinese

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) can be a consequence of diabetes, hypertension, immunologic disorders, and other exposures, as well as genetic factors that are still largely unknown. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR), which is widely used to measure kidney function, has a heritability ranging from 25% to 75%, but only 1.5% of this heritability is explained by genetic loci that have been identified to date. In this study we tested for associations between GFR and 234 SNPs in 26 genes from pathways of blood pressure regulation in 3,025 rural Chinese participants of the "Genetic Epidemiology Network of Salt Sensitivity" (GenSalt) study. We estimated GFR (eGFR) using baseline serum creatinine measurements obtained prior to dietary intervention. We identified significant associations between eGFR and 12 SNPs in 6 genes (ACE, ADD1, AGT, GRK4, HSD11B1, and SCNN1G). The cumulative effect of the protective alleles was an increase in mean eGFR of 4 mL/min per 1.73 m2, while the cumulative effect of the risk alleles was a decrease in mean eGFR of 3 mL/min per 1.73 m2. In addition, we identified a significant interaction between SNPs in CYP11B1 and ADRB2. We have identified common variants in genes from pathways that regulate blood pressure and influence kidney function as measured by eGFR, providing new insights into the genetic determinants of kidney function. Complex genetic effects on kidney function likely involve interactions among genes as we observed for CYP11B1 and ADRB2.