High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is one of the most common health problems in the world. Millions of people live with it, and many may not even realize they have it.
Doctors often call high blood pressure a “silent killer” because it usually develops without clear symptoms while quietly damaging the body over many years.
Blood pressure measures the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries. Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body. When blood pressure stays too high for a long time, it puts extra strain on the heart and blood vessels.
Over time, this constant pressure can damage the arteries in a process known as vascular remodeling. During this process, blood vessels become thicker, stiffer, and narrower. These changes make it harder for blood to flow properly and increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, and other serious health problems.
Now, researchers at Michigan Medicine have discovered an important clue that may explain why some people are more likely to develop high blood pressure because of their genes. Their findings may also lead to more personalized treatments in the future.
The study was published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation. The research focused on a protein called JMJD3, which helps control how genes are turned on and off inside the body.
Genes carry instructions that help the body function. However, genes are not always active all the time. Certain proteins help decide when specific genes should be activated or silenced. JMJD3 is one of these regulatory proteins.
Previous large genetic studies had already linked JMJD3 to blood pressure, but scientists did not fully understand how it worked. In this new study, the researchers discovered that JMJD3 plays a major role in controlling how blood vessels tighten and relax.
The scientists found that JMJD3 affects two important receptors located on smooth muscle cells inside artery walls. These receptors belong to the endothelin system, which helps regulate blood vessel movement.
One receptor, called endothelin receptor-A, causes blood vessels to tighten or constrict. The other receptor, endothelin receptor-B, helps blood vessels relax or dilate. A healthy balance between these two receptors is important for maintaining normal blood pressure.
The researchers studied mice with reduced levels of JMJD3. They discovered that lower JMJD3 disrupted the balance between the two receptors. The relaxing receptor became less active, while the tightening receptor became more active.
As a result, the blood vessels constricted more strongly than normal. This increased blood pressure and caused long-term damage to the arteries.
The findings became even more important when the scientists connected them to a very common genetic variant known as rs62059712. According to the researchers, around 90% of people carry the T version of this genetic variant.
The team found that this version reduces the amount of JMJD3 produced in the body. Lower JMJD3 levels may therefore make blood vessels more likely to tighten excessively, increasing the risk of hypertension, heart disease, and stroke.
This discovery may help explain why some people are genetically more vulnerable to high blood pressure even if they share similar lifestyles with others.
The study also offered hope for future treatment. The researchers tested a drug called BQ-123, which blocks endothelin receptor-A, the receptor responsible for tightening blood vessels.
In mice lacking JMJD3, the drug successfully lowered blood pressure by helping the blood vessels relax again. This suggests that people with the rs62059712 variant might one day benefit from medicines specifically designed to target this pathway.
Dr. Katherine Gallagher, the senior author of the study, said the research points toward more personalized medicine. Instead of giving the same treatment to everyone, doctors may eventually be able to choose therapies based on a person’s genetic profile.
Personalized medicine is becoming a growing area of medical research. Scientists hope that understanding how genes affect disease will allow doctors to predict health risks earlier and provide treatments that work better for each individual.
The researchers believe their approach to studying JMJD3 could also help scientists understand many other genetic variants connected to heart disease and blood vessel problems. Future studies may uncover additional treatment targets that could improve care for millions of people.
Although genetics play an important role, doctors still emphasize that healthy lifestyle habits remain essential for controlling blood pressure. Eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, reducing salt intake, avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol, and managing stress can all help protect heart and blood vessel health.
Some studies suggest that diets rich in potassium may help lower blood pressure naturally. Foods such as bananas, potatoes, spinach, beans, and yogurt contain potassium, which helps balance the effects of sodium in the body. Heart-healthy eating plans such as the DASH diet are also commonly recommended for people with hypertension.
Researchers continue working to better understand how genes and lifestyle interact in the development of high blood pressure. This new discovery from Michigan Medicine adds another important piece to the puzzle and may eventually lead to safer and more effective treatments for people at high genetic risk.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies about unhealthy habits that may increase high blood pressure risk, and drinking green tea could help lower blood pressure.
For more information about high blood pressure, please see recent studies about what to eat or to avoid for high blood pressure, and 12 foods that lower blood pressure.
The research findings discussed in this article were published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.
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