Natriuretic peptides and essential arterial hypertension

Natriuretic peptide system plays a well-defined role in the regulation of blood pressure and fluid volume. Although the effects of natriuretic peptides (atrial natriuretic peptide, brain natriuretic peptide and C-type natriuretic peptide) are mediated by specific biologic receptors, their plasma level is influenced by clearance receptors. It has been demonstrated that in hypertensive subjects plasma levels of natriuretic peptides are impaired; furthermore peptide receptor polymorphisms have been shown to be significantly associated with hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy. Studying normotensive subjects at high genetic risk of developing hypertension on the basis of family history makes it possible to investigate the role of natriuretic peptide system in the genesis of hypertension. It has been shown that plasma atrial and ventricular natriuretic peptide levels are significantly reduced in normotensive subjects with a family history of hypertension. Our study is the first one showing association among positive family history of essential hypertension and natriuretic peptide receptor polymorphisms. We identified a novel insertion/deletion polymorphism at position 15,129 in the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of NPRA receptor mRNA. The NPRA gene deletion variant is associated with hypertensive family history and higher systolic blood pressure. The "deletion 15129" variant might participate in the functional impairment of natriuretic peptide system defining an increased genetic susceptibility to hypertension.