title: Angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphisms in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis: impact on disease severity.
abstract: Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) is a metallopeptidase with a key function in the regulation of blood pressure and volume. The ACE1 gene, on chromosome 17, contains a insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in intron 16. The D allele of this polymorphism is linked with raised serum ACE (sACE) levels. Sarcoidosis is a systemic disease of granulomatous inflammation that primarily affects the lung and lymph system. It is often accompanied by elevated sACE related to ACE production from granuloma cells. The ACE I/D polymorphism has been tested for association or linkage with the risk of sarcoidosis. Though published results are conflicting, there seems to be suggestive evidence of a minor pro-inflammatory influence of the ACE D allele in sarcoidosis. At present, a more accurate interpretation of sACE levels in diagnosis and monitoring of sarcoidosis seems to be the main value of ACE I/D genotyping.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Genetics, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, Lübeck, Germany. schuerma@medinf.mu-luebeck.de
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schürmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D017565:Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A