Interactions between angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) gene polymorphisms and high salt intake increase the risk of hypertension (HTN); however, this association is not well-established in the Chinese Wa population. In this study, we investigated the prevalence and associated factors of HTN in the Chinese Wa ethnic minority in Yunnan Province, China. In addition, we assessed the associations of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ACE2 with blood pressure and environmental factors. Among a total of 838 Wa individuals, the overall prevalence, awareness, treatment and control rates of HTN were 31.03%, 32.81%, 10.77%, and 0.70%, respectively. In addition, 260 hypertensive patients and 290 normotensive individuals were randomly selected for investigations of salt intake and ACE2 SNPs. The levels of e24-h salt intake in female hypertensive patients were significantly higher that those in normotensive individuals. The ACE2 rs2285666 T allele or TT genotype and rs714205 G allele or GG genotype were identified as risk factors for the development of HTN in female Wa individuals. The CGTG haplotype was a risk factor in hypertensive patients. Moreover, high salt intake increased the occurrence of hypertension among ACE2 rs2285666 TT and rs714205 GG individuals. In this study, we not only identified an association between ACE2 gene polymorphism and HTN in the Chinese Wa population, but also a possible link interaction between ACE2 polymorphism type and high salt intake in increasing the risk of HTN in this population.
Keywords: Hypertension; angiotensin-converting enzyme-2; genetic polymorphisms; salt sensitivity; sodium.
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