Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Increased levels of cortisol are associated with worse prognosis in heart failure (HF). The final step in cortisol production is catalysed by 11β-hydroxylase encoded by CYP11B1, which is highly homologous with CYP11B2. A common polymorphism in the aldosterone synthase gene (CYP11B2 −344T) is associated with a raised ratio of 11-deoxycortisol/ cortisol (S/F). We examined the relationship between −344C/T polymorphism and corticos...

Aldosterone is key in the development of hypertension. We have shown that a SNP (−344T) in the 5’ regulatory region (UTR) of the gene encoding aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2) was associated with aldosterone excess and high blood pressure. However, the most robust phenotype is altered adrenal 11-hydroxylation efficiency (deoxycortisol to cortisol); a step carried out by 11β-hydroxylase, encoded by the adjacent gene, CYP11B1. We proposed that the effects of CYP11B...

Aldosterone is a key cardiovascular hormone: 15% of hypertensives have altered aldosterone regulation, defined by a raised ratio of aldosterone to renin. However, the causes of aldosterone excess are not understood. Polymorphic variation in the gene encoding aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2) is associated with hypertension, but the most robust phenotype is a relative reduction in efficiency of 11ß-hydroxylation (conversion of deoxycortisol to cortisol), which reflects functi...