Are alpha- and beta-adrenoceptor changes in patients with essential hypertension genetically determined?

In order to find out whether adrenoceptor changes in essential hypertension might be genetically determined, we measured platelet alpha 2- and lymphocyte beta 2-adrenoceptor density in 48 normotensive children with normotensive parents, and 41 normotensive children who had one essential hypertensive parent and thus should have had a genetic predisposition for the development of hypertension. The groups did not differ with regard to blood pressure and heart rate, age, body weight and height, plasma renin activity and catecholamines, and serum electrolytes and creatinine. Lymphocyte beta 2-adrenoceptor density (assessed by 125I-iodocyanopindolol binding) and responsiveness (assessed as 10 mumol/l isoprenaline-induced cyclic AMP increases) did not differ between the groups. Platelet alpha 2-adrenoceptor density (assessed by 3H-yohimbine binding) was significantly higher in children with one essential hypertensive parent. We conclude that platelet alpha 2- but not lymphocyte beta 2-adrenoceptor changes in essential hypertension are genetically determined.