title: Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene II genotype protects against the development of diabetic peripheral neuropathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is one of the complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) that decreases the quality of life of T2DM patients. Very few studies have found an association between the development and progression of DPN in T2DM and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using gene-specific primers in a polymerase chain reaction, the presence of ACE I/D polymorphisms was screened for in 276 T2DM patients with DPN, 496 T2DM patients without DPN, and 331 control (non-diabetic) subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The distribution of the I/D genotypes was in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The II genotype was significantly more prevalent in T2DM patients without DPN than the DD genotype (P < 0.05); however, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of the II and DD genotypes in T2DM patients with DPN (P = 0.78).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The II genotype of the ACE gene has a protective effect against the development of DPN in T2DM patients. This suggests a role for the renin-angiotensin system in modulating neuropathy in T2DM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Qaisar
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Mansoor
authors.forename: Amara
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Javaid
authors.forename: Nighat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bilal
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ismail
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics*; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D054643:INDEL Mutation; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
chemical_list: D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A