The expression of calcium/calmodulin‐dependent kinase IV (CaMKIV) was hitherto thought to be confined to the nervous system. However, a recent genome‐wide analysis indicated an association between hypertension and a single‐nucleotide polymorphism (rs10491334) of the human CaMKIV gene (CaMK4), which suggests a role for this kinase in the regulation of vascular tone.

To directly assess the role of CaMKIV in hypertension, we characterized the cardiovascular phenotype of CaMK4^−/− mice. They displayed a typical hypertensive phenotype, including high blood pressure levels, cardiac hypertrophy, vascular and kidney damage, and reduced tolerance to chronic ischemia and myocardial infarction compared with wild‐type littermates. Interestingly, in vitro experiments showed the ability of this kinase to activate endothelial nitric oxide synthase. Eventually, in a population study, we found that the rs10491334 variant associates with a reduction in the expression levels of CaMKIV in lymphocytes from hypertensive patients.

Taken together, our results provide evidence that CaMKIV plays a pivotal role in blood pressure regulation through the control of endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity.