Association of insertion/deletion polymorphism of the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene with psoriasis.
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.
Ozkur
M
M
Dermatology, Medical Faculty, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, Turkey. aozkur@hotmail.com
Erbagci
Z
Z
Nacak
M
M
Tuncel
A A
AA
Alasehirli
B
B
Aynacioglu
A S
AS
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*
D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A