Hypomethylation of the Angiotensin II Type I Receptor (AGTR1) Gene Along with Environmental Factors Increases the Risk for Essential Hypertension

Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate the hypertension status of community residents, analyze environmental and epigenetic factors, and propose prevention measures for hypertension. Methods: In our study, different methylation levels were distinguished utilizing melting temperature (Tm) values in both the case and the control group. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the risk of having essential hypertension (EH) between hypertensive and nonhypertensive participants. A receiver-operating characteristic curve was used to analyze Tm cutoff levels of methylation. Results: The average DNA Tm was 71.784 with a standard deviation of 0.210. The Tm value of community residents (Fujian, China) was inversely correlated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Student t test analysis showed a clear separation in Tm expression levels between the hypertensive and the control group (p < 0.05). The Tm value was lower in the hypertension group than in the normotensive group. Multivariate regression analysis showed that high levels of DNA methylation were a protective factor in hypertension with adjustment of demographic and environmental factors, whereas when the Tm value increased by 0.1 units, the risk of hypertension was reduced by 0.652 times. Patients that smoked and consumed an irregular diet demonstrated a lower degree of methylation in the presence of hypertension. Conclusions: DNA methylation affects the risk for the development of hypertension; therefore, epigenetic markers could be used to measure hypertension levels to help elucidate the pathogenesis of EH.

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