Association of the insertion/deletion polymorphism of the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene with type 2 diabetes in two ethnic groups of Jerba Island in Tunisia.
BACKGROUND
The aim of the current study was to evaluate the role of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism on the prediction of type 2 diabetes in two ethnic populations from Jerba Island,Tunisia.


METHODS
In this study, we analysed the genotypic and the allelic distributions of the ACE I/D polymorphism and conducted a case/control association study between healthy normoglycaemic controls and diabetic patients in the two studied groups.ACE gene polymorphism was analysed by polymerase chain reaction in 272 individuals consisting of 172 diabetic subjects and 100 controls.


RESULTS
The genotype frequencies for DD, ID and II were 75.50%, 19.60% and 4.89% inArabs and 76.66%, 16.66% and 6.67% in Berbers, respectively, in the case group, and 42.85%, 35.71% and 21.43% inArabs and 57.50%, 22.50% and 20.00% in Berbers, respectively, in the control group.The DD frequency was significantly higher in the case group than in the control group (p<0.001), suggesting that the DD genotype is associated with an increased susceptibility to type 2 diabetes in our study populations.


CONCLUSIONS
The current investigation provides new evidence regarding the role of the ACE I/D polymorphism in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes in Jerbian populations. Furthermore, it underlines the importance of ethnicity, which should be considered in all studies aiming to test the genetic effects on the susceptibility to type 2 diabetes.
Baroudi
Thouraya
T
Laboratory of Genetics, Immunology and Human Pathology, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, El Manar II University, 2092 Tunis, Tunisia. Thourbar@yahoo.fr
Bouhaha
Rym
R
Moran-Moguel
Chrystine
C
Sanchez-Corona
Jose
J
Ben Maiz
Hedi
H
Kammoun Abid
Hafaoua
H
Benammar-Elgaaied
Amel
A
D000085962:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2; D044383:Black People / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003710:Demography; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D017353:Gene Deletion; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D014416:Tunisia
D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A; C000705307:ACE2 protein, human; D000085962:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2