Death by Salt
Heart attack, stroke and kidney failure collectively make up the greatest cause of human deaths. Hypertension is a common symptom of all three, and among hypertensives, sensitivity to dietary salt amplifies the risk of dying. Researchers have long known that salt retains water in the blood, increasing its pressure, but where and how that happens has been a focus for scientists at the University of Virginia and George Washington University over many years. Now, they report in a PLOS article their definitive finding: a gene on human Chromosome 2 (SLC4A5) encodes a membrane protein (NBCe2) in the renal proximal tubule which functions in electrogenic sodium-coupled bicarbonate transport. A gene mutation that results in NBCe2 retaining too much sodium (and thus too much water) is salt-sensitive hypertension’s mortal flaw. Knowing the “how and where” are necessary steps toward a drug therapy. MORE