Lysine-specific Demethylase 1 and Salt-sensitivity in Humans

The purpose of this study is to investigate the role dietary salt plays in epigenetic regulation of blood pressure in African American and Caucasians, focusing on the salt-sensitive regulatory enzyme Lysine-specific demethylase 1. This might help us understand why some people develop high blood pressure.

Healthy volunteers will be screened for eligibility and invited to participate in a 2 weeks study. Week 1 will be consumption of a low salt diet. Week 2 will be a high salt diet.

At the end of each week, participants will be admitted to a Clinical Research Center overnight and for one day.

On the CRC, participants will remain fasting and supine overnight and then next morning undergo hormonal and vascular testing. This will consist of blood drawing, echocardiogram, vascular tonometry, and assessment of renal blood flow before and after a low-dose Angiotensin II infusion.

The study outcome will compare how variants in the LSD1 gene affect hormonal and vascular responses according to race. This information will help us determine why some races and genetic profiles are more susceptible to detrimental effects of salt in the diet while others are protected against these effects.

Inclusion criteria

• Age 25-45 years
• Caucasian or African American
• No gender preference (anticipate 50% female)
• Normotensive (screening blood pressure <140/90 mmHg)
• No history of hypertension, diabetes, stroke, coronary artery disease, kidney disease, cancer, thyroid disease, preeclampsia, or hospitalizations in 6 months
• Normal screening laboratory values (CMP, TSH, A1c)
• Normal ECG
• BMI <25 kg/m2

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnancy
• Breast feeding
• Any medication or herbal preparation
• >6oz alcohol/week
• Tobacco use
• Illicit drug use
• Chronic NSAID use
• Recent steroid use (injected, inhaled, oral)
• Decongestant use in the past 2 weeks
• Known sensitivity to infused Angiotensin II or para-amino hippurate