Variation in bradykinin receptor genes increases the cardiovascular risk associated with hypertension

Aims The contribution of kinins to the beneficial effects of angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition in cardiovascular risk reduction remains unclear. The genes for the kinin inducible B1 receptor (B(1)R) and constitutive B2 receptor (B(2)R) contain functional variants: the B(1)R-699C (rather than G) and the B(2)R(-9) (rather than +9) alleles are associated with greater mRNA expression and the B(2)R(-9) allele with risk; reduced left ventricular hypertrophic responses. We tested whether these gene variants influenced hypertensive coronary risk in a large prospective study. Methods and results Two thousand, seven hundred and six previously healthy UK men (mean age at recruitment 56 years; median follow-up 10.8 years) were genotyped for the kinin receptor variants. The coronary risk attributable to systolic hypertension (SBP greater than or equal to 160 mmHg) was significantly higher only in B(1)R-699GG homozygotes (HR 2.14 [1.42-3.22]; P < 0.0001) and B(2)R(+9,+9) individuals (HR 3.51 [1.69-7.28]; P = 0.001) but not in B(1)R-699C allele carriers (HR 0.82 [0.28-2.42]; P = 0.76) or in B(2)R(-9,-9) homozygotes (HR 1.25 [0.51-3.04]; P = 0.63). Conclusions Common variation in the genes for the kinin B(1) and B(2) receptors influences prospective hypertensive coronary risk. These are the first reported human data to suggest a role for the B(1)R in human coronary vascular disease, and the first prospective study to demonstrate a similar role for the B(2)R. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The European Society of Cardiology.