Gene discovery in animal models may lead to the revelation of therapeutic targets for essential hypertension as well as mechanistic insights into blood pressure (BP) regulation. Our aim was to identify a disease-causing gene for a component of polygenic hypertension contrasting inbred hypertensive Dahl salt-sensitive (DSS) and normotensive Lewis rats. The chromosome segment harboring a quantitative trait locus (QTL), C16QTL, was first isolated from the rat genome via congenic strains. A candidate gene responsible for C16QTL causing a BP difference between DSS and Lewis rats was then identified using molecular analyses combining our independently-conducted total genome and gene-specific sequencings. The retinoblastoma-associated protein 140 (Rap140)/family with sequence similarity 208 member A (Fam208a) is the only candidate gene supported to be C16QTL among three genes in genome block 1 present in the C16QTL-residing interval. A mode of its actions could be to influence the expressions of genes that are downstream in a pathway potentially leading to BP regulation such as that encoding the solute carrier family 7 (cationic amino acid transporter, y+ system) member 12 (Slc7a12), which is specifically expressed in kidneys. Thus, Rap140/Fam208a probably encoding a transcription factor is the strongest candidate for a novel BP QTL that acts via a putative Rap140/Fam208a-Slc7a12-BP pathway. These data implicate a premier physiological role for Rap140/Fam208 beyond development and a first biological function for the Slc7a12 protein in any organism.
Keywords: Fam208a; Rap140; Slc7a12; genetics of hypertension; renal mechanism.