COSEGREGATION OF THE Tnfα LOCUS WITH CARDIOVASCULAR PHENOTYPES IN THE F2 GENERATION OF A NEW ZEALAND GENETICALLY HYPERTENSIVE AND BROWN NORWAY CROSS

Abstract
1. The association of the Tnfalpha locus with several cardiovascular phenotypes and body mass has been studied in the F2 generation of a reciprocal cross between rats of the New Zealand genetically hypertensive (GH) and the normotensive Brown Norway (BN) strains. In the total F2 population the GH allele of Tnfalpha cosegregated with increased intra-arterial blood pressure (BP) in a recessive manner. A similar but weaker effect was observed for tail BP. 2. An association between genotype and body mass in females with GH grandfathers was also detected. 3. An association between genotype and pulse rate was observed for females. 4. This work supports other evidence pointing to an association of a gene (or genes) on rat chromosome 20 with hypertension.