Association and interaction analysis of NLRP3 gene polymorphisms with hypertension risk: A case-control study in China

Abstract Background As an important mechanism for regulating inflammatory reactions, the NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is considered the central pathogenic link of cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to analyze the association and interaction between the rs10754558 polymorphism of NLRP3 and the risk of hypertension among Chinese adults. Methods All the participants who came from a community in Bengbu, China were investigated by being interviewed with a questionnaire. Overall, 354 paired case-control participants were analyzed. Genomic DNA was extracted from 5ml venous blood using the Tiangen DNA extraction kit. The rs10754558 polymorphism of the NLRP3 gene was genotyped by TaqMan allelic discrimination real-time PCR.The association between the rs10754558 polymorphism and hypertension risk was investigated by a logistic regression analysis. Furthermore, an additive interaction analysis was conducted using related indicators, including the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI), attributable proportion due to interaction (AP), and synergy index (SI). Results Participants carrying the GG genotype were more likely to develop hypertension than participants carrying the CC genotype (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 2.16, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.33–3.52). G allele carriers were 1.21 times more likely to have hypertension than non-G allele carriers. A significant additive interaction between the NLRP3 polymorphism and obesity status concerning the risk of hypertension was observed, as estimated by all indicators: RERI (1.12, 95% CI: 0.70–1.5), AP (0.34, 95% CI: 0.14–0.53), and SI (1.92, 95% CI: 1.03–3.59). The values of RERI (1.74, 95% CI: 0.37–3.11), AP (0.46, 95% CI: 0.21–0.70), and SI (2.62, 95% CI: 1.18–5.83) showed that a significant interaction between the rs10754558 polymorphism and a family history of hypertension. Conclusions Our results indicated that the NLRP3 rs10754558 polymorphism was significantly associated with the risk of hypertension among Chinese adults. Furthermore, there was a significant additive interaction between NLRP3 polymorphisms and obesity status concerning the risk of hypertension.