Association of AMP-activated protein kinase and uncoupling protein 2 gene expressions with hypertension in obese patients

Background Obesity is a multifactorial metabolic disease resulting from behavioral and genetic factors, which are linked to hypertension. Objective The study aimed to examine the association of uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) gene expressions in obesity and hypertension, to explore their potential roles in human obesity and hypertension. Moreover, their associations with lipid profiles were determined. Patients and methods Subcutaneous adipose tissues were collected from 131 participants, including 45 nonobese and nonhypertensive controls, 86 obese participants (51 obese only and 35 patients with hypertension also). Utilizing real-time reverse transcriptase PCR, expressions of the UCP2 and AMPK genes were determined. Results and conclusion AMPK and UCP2 gene expressions were statistically significant when comparing obese and hypertension groups to controls. In addition, UCP2 and AMPK expression levels revealed high sensitivity and specificity using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Significant negative correlations were found between AMPK gene expression and cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels in hypertension and obese patients. However, UCP2 expression showed a positive correlation with LDL and cholesterol in obese. These results indicated that UCP2 and AMPK gene expressions could play major roles as candidate genes for the development of obesity and hypertension. Correspondingly, their correlations with cholesterol and LDL implicated their roles in lipid metabolism. Correlations of the AMPK and UCP2 genes with hypertension and obesity may provide an alternative approach for managing obesity and its associated hypertension.