Angiotensin-converting enzyme I/D gene polymorphism and risk of multiple sclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity is increased in blood and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). In addition, in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of MS, the blockade of ACE suppresses the disease itself. To analyze the genetic association of the ACE gene with MS, we examined ACE gene insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in MS patients.


METHODS
A total of 313 MS patients from Slovenia and Croatia and 376 healthy controls were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction method.


RESULTS
We found statistically significant differences in the distribution of ACE I/D allele frequencies (P < 0.01) and genotypes (P < 0.04) in male patients. ACE DD genotype was associated with MS in men at an odds ratio of 1.86 (95% CI 1.09-3.19, P = 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
DD genotype of ACE gene might contribute to a higher risk of developing MS in men.
Lovrecić
L
L
Department of Medical Genetics, UMC, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Ristić
S
S
Starcević-Cizmarević
N
N
Jazbec
S S
SS
Sepcić
J
J
Kapović
M
M
Peterlin
B
B
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017523:Croatia; D005260:Female; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000235:genetics*; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012737:Sex Factors; D017524:Slovenia
D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A