London, Nov 1 (ANI): In what has come as a major breakthrough, scientists have finally discovered what causes high blood pressure, thus paving the way to transform treatment with targeted drugs.
After 40 years of research, scientists have been able to pin down the mysterious role of an enzyme called renin.
Till date, it was already thought to play a significant role in high blood pressure, but exactly how it did had left the researchers bewildered.
Now, under the able guidance of one of the world's leading genetic scientists, a PhD student, Francine Marques, has discovered why 'renin' can be over-produced in the kidneys, pushing blood pressure up.
In the first study to use human kidneys, they found that two vital molecules, known as micro-RNAs, destabilise production of renin.
In the kidneys of those suffering from high blood pressure, the 'renin' gene was six times more active while the micro-RNAs were six times less so.
"That is the key," the Daily Express quoted Professor Brian Morris, the Australian geneticist overseeing the study, as saying.
"These two micro-RNAs are very much lower in hypertensive people. So if you lose those, the renin goes up, thus raising blood pressure."
Morris, now hopes that the discovery will lead to the development of drugs, which could be designed to "knock down renin expression at its source" - stopping it from creating the high blood pressure.
The research has been published online in Hypertension, a journal of the American Heart Association. (ANI)
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