Phospholipase C genes display restriction fragment length polymorphisms between the genomes of normotensive and hypertensive rats.

The genomic loci of four distinct phospholipase C genes (PLC-beta, PLC-gamma I, PLC-delta and PLC-gamma II) were examined for restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) between the genomes of three normotensive [Sprague-Dawley, Donryu and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY)] and two closely related hypertensive [spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and SHR stroke-prone (SHR-SP)] rat strains. The RFLPs observed between SHR and WKY were classified into three types. Type I RFLPs are those observed at 4.3 kilobase (kb) and 1.9 kb by AvaI digestion for PLC-gamma probe and at 1.9 kb by AccI digestion for PLC-beta probe, where RFLP banding patterns are conserved in two hypertensive (SHR and SHR-SP) and one normotensive (Sprague-Dawley) strains. Type II RFLPs are those observed by AccI, BamHI, EcoRI and PstI digestions for PLC-beta probe, where RFLP pattern observed in SHR is shared by one normotensive (Sprague-Dawley) strain but not by SHR-SP, WKY or Donryu rats. Type III RFLPs are those detected at 6.3 kb band by Bg/II digestion for PLC-beta probe and at 1.0 kb by BamHI digestion for PLC-gamma II probe, where RFLP pattern observed in SHR is shared by two normotensive rats other than WKY. No RFLP was found for PLC-gamma I probe after testing 13 restriction enzymes. Since PLC plays a pivotal role in regulating the intracellular calcium concentration and the intracellular signal transduction, these RFLPs may offer a valuable tool for the analysis of genomic predisposition for hypertension.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)