Genetic linkage of the sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-dependent ATPase II gene to intracellular Ca2+ concentration in the spontaneously hypertensive rat

A cosegregation analysis of sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-dependent ATPase (SERCA) II genotype, systolic blood pressure and platelet intracellular Ca2+ concentration was performed to dissect polygenic hypertensive traits in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Backcross analysis between spontaneuosly hypertensive rats and normotensive Donryu rats demonstrated the existence of an inferred single major gene locus (ht). Thrombin-stimulated intraplatelet Ca2+ concentration was significantly higher in the SERCA II homozygotes than in the heterozygotes. The SERCA II genotype did not cosegregate with the blood pressure level. The SERCA II gene was assigned to rat chromosome 12. These results suggest that the SERCA II gene on rat chromosome 12 contributes to increased thrombin-stimulated intraplatelet Ca2+ concentration and that the SERCA II gene is not identical to ht. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.