NOS3 and hypertensive disorder: In particular, we measured DNA methylation in repetitive elements (ALU and LINE-1 sequences) as well as in specific genes chosen for the important role they have in inflammation and hypertension development processes: endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS3), endothelin 1 (EDN1), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1), inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS2), toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF).