ACE gene polymorphism and insulin action in older subjects and healthy centenarians.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the possible relationship between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) insertion-deletion (ID) genotype and insulin resistance in a population of healthy older Italian subjects.


METHODS
Prospective recruitment of a convenience sample.


METHODS
One hundred twenty-five subjects age 62 to 105 in good health and not taking any drug known to interfere with glucose metabolism.


RESULTS
In the sample population, the relative frequencies of the ACE genotypes deletion-deletion (DD) (0.424), ID (0.400), and insertion-insertion (II) (0.176) were not significantly different from values predicted by Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The genotype distribution was similar in men and women. Subjects carrying the II genotype had a higher FPG (P <.001) and FPI (P <.001) than did subjects with DD or ID genotype. Subjects with II genotype also had a significantly higher HOMA index than did subjects with DD or ID genotype (P for trend <.002). In a multivariate stepwise regression analysis, the ACE ID polymorphism was significantly and independently associated with the HOMA index (P <.001). The same result was confirmed performing multivariate analysis in the younger group and centenarians separately.


CONCLUSIONS
In an older population, the presence of II ACE genotype is associated with a high degree of insulin resistance independent of other anthropometric variables known to interfere with insulin action; this association is significant in both the younger subjects and the centenarians.
Paolisso
G
G
Department of Geriatric Medicine and Metabolic Diseases, Institute of General Pathology and Oncology, Second University of Naples, Italy.
Tagliamonte
M R
MR
De Lucia
D
D
Palmieri
F
F
Manzella
D
D
Rinaldi
C
C
Bossone
A
A
Colaizzo
D
D
Margaglione
M
M
Varricchio
M
M
D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000886:Anthropometry; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional / Q000235:genetics*; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A