title: Association of insertion/deletion polymorphism of the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene with psoriasis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Genetic factors are likely to be of fundamental importance in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. There are reports concerning the induction or/and exacerbation of psoriasis by angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, which have been attributed to the ACE inhibitor-induced augmentation of kinin levels in skin. However, to the best of our knowledge there has been no molecular genetic study investigating whether ACE insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism may contribute to the genetic background in psoriasis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the role of ACE I/D polymorphism in psoriasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A group of 86 patients with psoriasis and 154 control subjects were analysed for ACE I/D polymorphism by polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The distribution of ACE I/D polymorphism and allele frequencies in psoriatic patients was not significantly different from controls. Further analyses of psoriasis patients showed that ACE I/D polymorphism was not associated with age at onset of disease, clinical type of psoriasis or gender. However, the frequency of the I allele was significantly higher in patients with a positive family history of psoriasis than in those with no family history (sporadic psoriasis) (48% vs. 32%; P =0.03). In addition, the I allele was found significantly more frequently in type I psoriasis patients (onset < 40 years and positive family history) than in type II psoriasis patients (onset >/= 40 years, no family history) (48% vs. 27%; P = 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that the presence of the I allele may confer susceptibility to development of psoriasis in individuals from psoriatic families.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology, Medical Faculty, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, Turkey. aozkur@hotmail.com
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozkur
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Erbagci
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nacak
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Tuncel
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alasehirli
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Aynacioglu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D012873:Skin Diseases, Genetic / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A