The comparative full-genome sequencing of transcriptomes of the renal cortex and medulla from hypertensive ISIAH rats and normotensive WAG rats revealed the differential expression of genes in the locus of chromosome 11 associated to the traits of resting blood pressure and relative kidney weight. Six differentially expressed genes (Kcne1, Rcan1, Mx1, Mx2, Tmprss2, and RGD1559516) were identified in the renal cortex, and three genes (Rcan1, Mx2, and Tmprss2) were identified in the renal medulla. An analysis of the functions of these genes pointed at the Rcan1 gene as the most relevant candidate gene associated with both the traits of resting blood pressure and relative kidney weight in ISIAH rats. The elevation of the transcription levels of the Mx1 and Mx2 genes in hypertensive ISIAH rats may represent an adaptation that contributes to the alleviation of inflammatory processes in the kidneys.
Keywords: ISIAH rat strain; QTL analysis; differentially expressed genes; hypertension; relative kidney weight.