Aldose reductase C-106T polymorphism is associated with the risk of essential hypertension

• Distribution of AKR1B1 C-106T polymorphism in hypertensive patients.
• The HDL-C level is different among C-106T variants in hypertensive patients.
• -106T allele of C-106T polymorph increases the risk of hypertension.

Aldose Reductase (AR), encoded by AKR1B1, is a member of NADPH-dependent aldo-keto reductase superfamily. The C-106T polymorphism of AKR1B1 is closely related to the diabetic complications. Our previous studies have indicated that the expression of AR was increased in spontaneously hypertensive rats, suggesting the effect of AR in hypertension. Here we investigated whether AKR1B1 C-106T polymorphism was associated with essential hypertension (EH). AKR1B1 C-106T polymorphism was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and the direct sequencing methods. 383 healthy subjects and 383 essential hypertensive patients were recruited in this study. The polymorphism of AKR1B1 C-106T in EH and normal tensive (NT) groups was in agreement with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. -106T allele of AKR1B1 C-106T variants was more frequent in EH patients compared with normal tensive subjects, indicating that -106T allele was a risk factor of EH (OR = 1.841, 95%CI = 1.366–2.481). In male patients, C-106T polymorphism was associated significantly with decreased serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol and higher systolic blood pressure levels. Our results suggest that -106T allele of AKR1B1 C-106T polymorphism may be associated with increased risk for EH in Chinese Han population.