Genetic factors in hypertension. Angiotensin-converting enzyme polymorphism.
OBJECTIVE
The key enzyme of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), shows the genetic polymorphism responsible for the varying activity of this enzyme. In a study of randomly chosen families we analyzed the relationship between insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the ACE and ambulatory blood pressure (ABP), left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT).


METHODS
The study population consisted of 127 parents and 167 offspring. All subjects underwent 24 hr ABP monitoring using a SpaceLabs 90207 device. 2D and M-mode echocardiograms were also obtained. The carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) was assessed by ultrasound. The I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene was measured with the use of PCR method. For statistical analysis, co-variables and correlations between relatives were taken into account.


RESULTS
The frequency of genotypes was: 27.2% for DD homozygotes, 49.7% for DI heterozygotes and 23.1% for II homozygotes, being in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P=0.97). There was no relationship between the ACE gene polymorphism and ABP, LVMI or carotid IMT in parents nor their offspring. The transmission disequilibrium tests for quantitative traits showed only a slight tendency towards the influence of the polymorphism on LVMI (P=0.06).


CONCLUSIONS
In the study group of nuclear families, I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene did not influence blood pressure, left ventricular mass or carotid intima-media thickness.
Czarnecka
Danuta
D
First Cardiac Department, Medical College, Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland.
Kawecka-Jaszcz
Kalina
K
Stolarz
Katarzyna
K
Olszanecka
Agnieszka
A
Kieć-Wilk
Beata
B
Dembińska-Kieć
Aldona
A
D000328:Adult; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014463:Ultrasonography
D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A