title: Lack of association between renin-angiotensin system (RAS) polymorphisms and hypertension in Tunisian type 2 diabetics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The genes encoding renin-angiotensin system (RAS) components are potent candidate genes in both hypertension and diabetes namely ACE encoding the angiotensin converting enzyme and AGT encoding angiotensinogen. It has been suggested that the insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in intron 16 of ACE gene is associated with ACE levels, and M235T gene polymorphism is associated with plasma AGT levels.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We examined in this report the association between ACE I/D and AGT M235T polymorphisms with hypertension status in Tunisian type 2 diabetic subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty nine hypertensive and 22 normotensive type 2 diabetic Tunisian patients were recruited for this study. The I/D polymorphism of ACE gene was analysed with nested PCR in order to avoid mistyping heterozygous individuals and the M235T polymorphism of AGT gene was analysed using PCR and allele specific restriction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The distribution of DD, ID and II genotypes did not significantly differ between type 2 diabetic patients with or without hypertension (DD: 49%; ID: 41%; II: 10% vs DD: 36%; ID: 55%; II: 9%, respectively) (chi2=1.06, p=0.58). There was also no significant statistical difference between these two groups for the M235T polymorphism (TT: 20%; MT: 54%; MM: 26% vs TT: 27%; MT: 41%; MM: 32%, respectively) (chi2=0.95, p=0.62).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RAS polymorphisms do not seem to play a role in the development of hypertension in the studied Tunisian type 2 diabetic subjects.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Investigation of Genetic Orphan Diseases Research Unit, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Imen
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Arfa
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nouira
authors.forename: Abdelmajid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abid
authors.forename: Nissaf
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bouafif-Ben Alaya
authors.forename: Mohamed Majdi
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Zorgati
authors.forename: Dhafer
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Malouche
authors.forename: Imen
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Manai
authors.forename: Mohamed Chiheb
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ben Rayana
authors.forename: Samira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blousa-Chabchoub
authors.forename: Habiba
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ben Romdhane
authors.forename: Mohammed Slim
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ben Ammar
authors.forename: Afif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ben Salah
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abdelhak
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D000808:Angiotensinogen / Q000235:genetics*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000235:genetics*; D014416:Tunisia
chemical_list: D000808:Angiotensinogen