The Protective Effects of the VEGF −2578C>A and −1154G>A Polymorphisms Against Hypertension Susceptibility

AIMS: It has been reported that plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels are elevated in hypertensive patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of -2578C>A and -1154G>A polymorphisms in the VEGF gene with susceptibility to hypertension. METHODS: A total of 640 subjects (320 hypertensive patients and 320 healthy normotensive subjects) were enrolled in the study. Genotyping of the -2578C>A and -1154G>A polymorphisms was performed by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. RESULTS: The CA and AA genotypes and dominant and recessive models of the -2578C>A polymorphism were protective against MetS susceptibility (p<0.0001, p=0.001, p<0.0001, and p=0.015, respectively). The GA genotype and dominant model (GG vs. GA+AA) of the -1154G >A polymorphism were found less frequently in patients with hypertension compared to the controls (p=0.0001, p<0.0001, respectively). Haplotypes of the -2578C>A and -1154G>A polymorphisms were also different between the patients and controls. CONCLUSIONS: The A allele of the -2578C>A polymorphism and haplotypes of the -2578C>A and -1154G>A polymorphisms in the promoter region of the VEGF gene might be protective against the development of hypertension in Koreans. Further studies examining these associations in other populations are warranted.