AGTR1 Methylation was not predictive of prehypertension or hypertension in young adults

• Main Authors: Wan Omar, Wan Fatein Nabeila, Abdullah, Aszrin, A.Talib, Norlelawati, Mohamed Bakrim, Norbaiyah
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English; English; English
• Published: Korean Endocrine Society 2021
• Subjects: QH426 Genetics; QP Physiology; RA643 Communicable Diseases and Public Health; RC667 Specialties of Internal Medicine-Diseases of Circulatory (Cardiovascular) System
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/93639/2/SICEM%20Program%20book.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/93639/20/93639_SICEM2021_OF0135%20Poster%20Wan%20Fatein.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/93639/26/PDF%20SICEM%202021%20abstract%20page%20.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/93639/
• Institution: Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia

Background/ Objective: The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system is implicated in sodium balance and blood pressure regulation. Angiotensin II binding to Angiotensin 2 Type 1 receptor (AGTR1) eventually leads to sodium and water retention which may cause an increase in blood pressure. While hypomethylation of AGTR1 has been described in hypertensive animals and humans, its role in premature hypertension has yet to be defined. This study aimed to assess AGTR1 methylation level in young adults with prehypertension and hypertension. Methods: This study protocol was approved by the Ministry of Health Medical Research Ethical Committee (NMRR-16-2572-32869). In this observational, comparative, cross-sectional study, we extracted leukocytic DNA from 240 young adults age 18-45 years in Kuantan with normal blood pressure (Nt), prehypertension (Pre), and newly-diagnosed hypertension (Hpt), with n = 80 for each group. The blood pressure classification followed Clinical Practice Guideline Management of Hypertension 4th edition by Ministry of Health Malaysia. We measured the DNA methylation level of AGTR1 using the MethyLight protocol. We analysed the data using IBM SPSS Statistics 26 (IBM, New York). Results: AGTR1 methylation ranged between 1.083 to 1.189. We found no significant correlation between AGTR1 methylation and the haemodynamic parameters (p = 0.130 – 0.886). Although there was a decreasing trend in AGTR1 methylation from Nt to Pre to Hpt, there was the difference was not significant (p = 0.274). Further analyses showed that AGTR1 methylation adjusted for other covariates did not predict prehypertension or hypertension in this population. Conclusion: There was no differential AGTR1 methylation level between young adults with Nt, Pre, and Hpt. Further studies to look at other genes methylation that might contribute to premature prehypertension and hypertension should be done to further understand the epigenetic changes in this population.