A Novel Polymorphism of the CYP19 Gene is Associated with Essential Hypertension in China.

Background: Aromatase which is encoded by the CYP19 gene is a key enzyme in the conversion of androgen to estrogen and plays an important role in the balance of the gender hormone levels. The gender hormone has a causal role in the development of cardiovascular disease. The goal of this study was to investigate the interaction between the SNPs in CYP19 gene and essential hypertension. Methods: The case-control study including Han population (410 EH patients and 410 control subjects) and Uygur population (371 EH patients and 463 control subjects). Individual testing was conducted to identify the association of three SNPs in CYP19 with EH by using chi(2) test or Fisher's exact test. Differences in lipids and the parameters of echocardiography among individuals with different genotypes were assessed by using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: For women in Han, the distribution of rs2289105 in CYP19 gene showed a significant difference between EH and controls (p = 0.049) and the dominant model (CC vs. CT+TT) has a significantly lower risk than the homozygous wild-type CC (p = 0.014). The dominant model of rs12050772 (GG vs. GT+TT) has a significantly lower risk in EH patients (p = 0.021). For men in Uygur, the recessive model of rs4774585 (AA vs. AG+GG) has a significantly higher risk in EH patients (p = 0.021). ANOVA indicated the left ventricular end-diastolic dimension is significantly higher in the homozygous wild-type (respectively, p = 0.001 and p = 0.015). Conclusions: The T allele of rs2289105 in CYP19 gene might be a protective genetic marker of EH for women in Han population.