ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate whether the -344T/C polymorphism of CYP11B2 gene is associated with essential hypertension in the Hans in Shandong province.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Plasma renin activity (PRA) and plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) were measured with radioimmunoassays; the hypertensives were classified as low-renin and normal- or high-renin group by PAC/PRA ratio. -344T/C polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction-restricted fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in controls and hypertensives.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>No significant differences were found in genotype distribution or allele frequency between groups of control and primary hypertension or between groups of control and normal- or high-renin hypertension. The C allele frequency in low-renin hypertension group was significantly higher than that in normotensives and normal- or high-renin hypertension group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>These results suggest that -344T/C polymorphism of CYP11B2 gene may be associated with low-renin essential hypertension in the Han nationality in Shandong province.</p>