Parameters of Lymphocyte Na 1 - Ca 2 1 Regulation and Blood Pressure The Gender Effect

Alterations in cellular Ca and Na regulation play a role in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension. Using peripheral lymphocytes from 68 normal persons, we observed the following relationships for major cellular Ca regulatory parameters. Among men and women, Na-Ca exchanger activity was positively correlated with the resting cytosolic free Ca ([Ca]c) (r50.43, P50.0003), and the resting [Ca ]c was positively correlated with cytosolic Na 1 ([Na]c) (r50.50, P50.0001). For men only, store-operated Ca 21 entry was positively correlated with Na-Ca exchanger activity (r50.63, P50.0001). In addition, systolic and diastolic blood pressures were positively correlated with [Na]c in men (r50.53, P50.001, and r50.41, P50.017, respectively) but not in women (r50.30, P50.088, and r50.24, P50.17, respectively). Some of the relationships between cellular and blood pressure parameters were confounded by serum triglycerides. These observations indicate a gender effect on cellular Ca-Na regulation and its relationship with blood pressure. (Hypertension. 1998;32:869-874.)