Association between angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphism and childhood allergic rhinitis in Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) play a role in inactivating bradykinin and tachykinins. Bradykinin and tachykinins are potent mediators of inflammatory reaction. An insertion/deletion polymorphism of the ACE gene has been shown to be associated with serum ACE levels. We hypothesized that ACE polymorphism might play a role in allergic rhinitis development.


METHODS
Seventy five children aged 6-13 years with atopic allergic rhinitis and 66 age- and gender-matched healthy children were studied. ACE genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction. Serum total immunoglobulin E (IgE) and allergen-specific IgE levels were also measured.


RESULTS
The frequencies of the DD and non-DD genotypes, and of the II and non-II genotypes did not differ significantly between healthy children and allergic rhinitis children (chi-squared test, p=1.000 and 0.438, respectively). There was no association of ACE genotype and mean IgE levels in rhinitis children or healthy controls.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of our study indicate that polymorphism of the ACE gene is unrelated to the development of allergic rhinitis, the duration of allergic rhinitis, serum IgE levels, and allergen-specific IgE in Taiwanese children.
Ku
Min-Sho
MS
Division of Allergy, Asthma and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
Lue
Ko-Huang
KH
Li
Ching
C
Sun
Hai-Lun
HL
Chou
Ming-Chih
MC
D000293:Adolescent; D000483:Alleles; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D013624:Taiwan
D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A