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Abstract-Recent evidence suggests that the prodownregulatory Gly16 allele of the ␤-2 adrenergic receptor (␤-2 AR) is associated with essential hypertension in African Caribbeans. To further investigate the effect of the glycine (Gly)16 and arginine (Arg)16 ␤-2 AR variants on hemodynamics, we investigated the agonist-mediated in vivo vasodilation in normotensive Austrian Caucasians and analyzed the results with respect to the Gly16/Arg16 polymorphism. Fifty-seven normotensive men, 20 to 32 years of age with body mass index of 18.7 to 29.9 kg/m 2 , were genotyped for the Arg16/Gly16 ␤-2 AR alleles. All 15 Gly16/Gly16 subjects, all 12 Arg16/Arg/16 subjects, and 27 of 30 heterozygous subjects underwent hemodynamic measurements while supine after an overnight fast. The observers were unaware of the subjects' genotypes. The subjects received a graded infusion of the selective ␤-2 AR agonist salbutamol (0.07, 0.14, and 0.21 g/kg per minute, respectively), each dose over 8 minutes. Stroke volume and blood pressure were determined continuously by means of impedance cardiography and oscillometry, respectively. The last 4 minutes of each infusion were evaluated statistically. Basal mean blood pressure was higher in the Gly16/Gly16 subjects compared with Arg16/Arg16 subjects (meanϮSD: 81.6Ϯ6.14 versus 75.2Ϯ4.93 mm Hg, PϽ0.01). Homozygous Gly16 subjects showed a significantly decreased vasodilation during the first dose of salbutamol infusion compared with Arg16/Arg16 subjects (⌬total peripheral resistance index Ϫ17.9Ϯ14.4 versus Ϫ30.6Ϯ8.3%, PϽ0.01) despite increased sympathetic counterregulation in the Arg16/Arg16 group (⌬heart rate ϩ16.9Ϯ7.0% versus ϩ8.6Ϯ7.0%, PϽ0.01; ⌬cardiac index ϩ39.5Ϯ18.5% versus 21.4Ϯ18.8%, PϽ0.05). Our results provide additional evidence that the Gly16/Arg16 alleles of the ␤-2 AR are intimately related to blood pressure regulation and deserve further studies in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension. (Hypertension. 1999;33:1425-1430.)

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