Abstract-Children of parents with hypertension are at increased risk of developing high blood pressure. We hypothesize that circulating concentrations of putative biomarkers (that may play a role in development of high blood pressure) are higher in nonhypertensive offspring of parents with hypertension. We compared concentrations of 4 different biomarkers (urinary albumin:creatinine ratio, circulating C-reactive protein, aldosterone:renin ratio, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1) in nonhypertensive Framingham offspring study participants with none (nϭ233), 1 (nϭ474), or both (nϭ322) parents with hypertension. Parental hypertension was defined as onset before age 60 years, based on longitudinal observations of the original Framingham cohort. Serum C-reactive protein concentrations were higher in nonhypertensive offspring with 1 (median: 1.7; Q1 to Q3: 0.8 to 3.6 mg/L) or both parents with hypertension (median: 1.8; Q1 to Q3: 0.7 to 3.6 mg/L) compared with offspring without parental hypertension (median: 1.4; Q1 to Q3: 0.7 to 3.2 mg/L). In multivariable analyses, parental hypertension was associated with higher serum C-reactive protein concentration in offspring (15% increase per parent with hypertension; Pϭ0.004). Prospectively, the relation of parental hypertension to longitudinal changes in blood pressure in the nonhypertensive offspring was attenuated on adjustment for C-reactive protein (Pϭ0.04 for attenuation). The levels of the other biomarkers evaluated did not significantly differ in offspring according to parental hypertension status. In conclusion, serum C-reactive protein concentrations are higher in nonhypertensive offspring of parents with hypertension. These data suggest that inflammation may partly mediate the familial influences on hypertension risk. Key Words: hypertension Ⅲ offspring Ⅲ biomarkers Ⅲ C-reactive protein E levated blood pressure (BP) is an important vascular risk factor associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. 1 Hypertension (HTN) is a condition with an enormous public health burden, affecting almost one third of all adults in the United States and is associated with substantial health care expenditure. 2 Consequently, prevention of HTN is a public health priority.The underlying pathophysiology of elevated BP, however, is incompletely understood. BP is considered a complex trait influenced by several environmental and genetic factors, with Ϸ30% to 60% of the interindividual variation in BP being attributed to additive genetic factors. 3,4 It is well established that HTN clusters in families 5 and that a positive family history represents a major risk factor for future HTN in nonhypertensive offspring. 6 Recent studies have indicated that circulating concentrations of several biomarkers that represent distinct biological pathways are correlated with BP levels cross-sectionally and are associated with a greater incidence of HTN prospectively. 7-11 For instance, a recent investigation from the Framingham Heart Study demonstrated that circulating concentrati...