Association between a dimorphic site on chromosome 12 and clinical diagnosis of hypertension in three independent populations

With the aim of identifying putative quantitative trait loci (QTLs) involved in the regulation of blood pressure, we have carried out association studies at a candidate genetic locus - a human pancreatic phospholipase A2 (PLA2) gene localized on chromosome 12. Positive associations were found between the presence of a Taq I dimorphic site localized in the first intron of this gene and hypertension in three sample populations (two from USA and one from Germany). These results indicate that a QTL implicated in determining an individual's genetic susceptibility to hypertension could be present within up to 30 cM of this human PLA2 gene.