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Genetic Studies of Complex Diseases: An Example of Hypertension in Croatian Population

Genetics of complex diseases has become one of the most researched areas in molecular genetics and anthropology in recent years. Understanding the multifactorial nature of complex diseases presents a challenge to contemporary science of genetics and requires integration of knowledge about molecular genetic functioning of organism with statistical approaches that must be carried out to solve the complex network of causes leading to the onset of a complex disease. The two approaches most widely used in genetic studies of complex diseases susceptibility genes are linkage and association studies. Linkage studies are based on the fact that recombination occurs rarely between two adjacent genes. Their typical samples consist of family members who are expected to share alleles on a locus that is adjacent to an investigated disease locus. Association studies look for loci whose alleles occur more often in diseased subjects than in controls. These loci are not necessarily involved in the disease status but may stand in linkage disequilibrium with the disease gene. Hypertension is one of the most widely distributed complex diseases. It affects every third person in the western world and presents a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. In our research of hypertension in Croatian population, we investigated 6 polymorphisms in 3 candidate genes whose products are components of renin-angiotensin system that is one of the most important blood pressure control systems. Only one of investigated genes, gene coding for angiotensin-converting enzyme, seems to be associated to hypertension in Croatian population sample.

genetic studies; complex diseases; hypertension; Croatia

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