Glucocorticoids and catecholamines exert important effects on cardiovascular physiology and metabolism. Variants of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (GRL) and the ₂-adrenergic receptor gene (ADRB2) have been associated with high blood pressure and obesity. These genes are close on human chromosome 5q31-5q32, and we undertook a linkage analysis of this region in 264 families from the general population in relation to systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, weight, height, and pulse rate. All family members were genotyped at four microsatellite loci (D5S207, D5S210, D5S519, and D5S119) located on chromosome 5q31-5q33.3. Using quantitative identity-by-descent sibling pair linkage analysis, we found that at no loci was genetic similarity associated with phenotypic similarity for systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, weight, height, or pulse rate. Although it is not possible to exclude the influence of specific combinations of certain GRL and ADRB2 polymorphisms, the absence of significant linkage in our population argues against a role for GRL or ADRB2 in physiological variation of blood pressure and body mass index.

cardiovascular risk; family studies; sibling pairs; hypertension; obesity

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