Kidney & Blood Pressure Research (Dec 2017)

Association Between GLCCI1 Promoter Polymorphism (Rs37972) and Post-Transplant Hypertension in Renal Transplant Recipients

  • Aki Mafune Hamada,
  • Izumi Yamamoto,
  • Yasuyuki Nakada,
  • Akimitsu Kobayashi,
  • Yusuke Koike,
  • Jun Miki,
  • Hiroki Yamada,
  • Yudo Tanno,
  • Ichiro Ohkido,
  • Nobuo Tsuboi,
  • Hiroyasu Yamamoto,
  • Mitsuyoshi Urashima,
  • Takashi Yokoo

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1159/000485862
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 42, no. 6
pp. 1155 – 1163

Abstract

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Background/Aims: Post-transplant hypertension is highly prevalent in renal transplant recipients and is a risk factor for graft loss, cardiovascular disease and death. Glucocorticoid is used to prevent rejection, but simultaneously increases the risk of post-transplant hypertension. The glucocorticoid-induced transcript 1 (GLCCI1) promoter polymorphism (rs37972) has been reported to be associated with response to glucocorticoid therapy in asthma. We therefore examined the association between GLCCI1 promoter polymorphism and post-transplant hypertension in renal transplant recipients. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of renal transplantation at a single university hospital from October 2003 to January 2014. Fifty consecutive adult recipients were analyzed, with clinical data retrieved from a prospectively collected database. Genotyping was carried out using genomic DNA derived from recipient’s blood. GLCCI1 immunoreactivity in vascular endothelial cells was quantitatively analyzed by immunohistochemical staining of recipients’ native kidney biopsy-specimens. The primary outcome measure was post-transplant hypertension. Results: Post-transplant hypertension was observed in 14/17 (82%) of recipients with CC, 18/20 (90%) with CT, and 2/13 (15%) with TT genotype. CC/CT genotype was significantly associated with post-transplant hypertension, even after adjustment for covariates (odds ratio, 10.6; 95% confidence intervals, 1.32 to 85.8; P = 0.026). In addition, we observed that GLCCI1 immunoreactivity in arteriolar endothelial cells was higher in kidney specimens obtained from recipients with a CC/CT genotype than a TT genotype (P = 0.021). Conclusion: GLCCI1 promoter polymorphism rs37972 may be associated with post-transplant hypertension.

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