Assessment of apolipoprotien e and paraoxonase 1 192Q/R gene polymorphisms in hypertension

Abstract

Hypertension is a chronic cardiovascular disease that affects 43% of the Malaysian adult population. Hypertension is associated with significantly high morbidity and mortality rates. The exact cause of hypertension is still unknown but it is believed that hypertension occurs from complex interactions between multiple environmental and genetic factors. Although much is known about the environmental factors that predispose individuals to hypertension but the molecular mechanisms behind hypertension are still poorly understood. Between 30 and 60% of blood pressure variations are determined by genetic factors. A wide spectrum of genes has been studied for their possible role in the pathogenesis of hypertension, however very few genes have shown significant role in hypertension. Numerous recent studies on apoE and PON-1 proteins have shown that both proteins exhibit an anti atherosclerotic and antioxidant roles in the human body. Polymorphisms within the genes encoding these proteins have been linked with various pathologies including cardiovascular diseases, cognitive and infectious diseases. Apolipoprotein E (Apo E) is a plasma protein responsible for plasma clearance of triglyceride and cholesterol-rich lipoproteins. The