title: Common intronic D variant of ACE gene is associated with endothelial dysfunction in COPD.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pathogenesis of chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) includes primary inflammatory events, multiple vascular reactions, remodeling of bronchial and vascular walls.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of present single-center study was to assess relations between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene and prevalence of clinical symptoms characteristic to COPD.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study involved sixty-three male patients with COPD (44-86 years old, a mean of 60.4 years). COPD diagnostics was performed according to common criteria, including evaluation of systolic pressure in pulmonary artery (SPPA) and endothelial disfunction (ED). Genotyping of ACE I/D was performed by means of gene-specific PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1. Allele distribution of studied gene alleles among COPD patients did not differ from control age-matched group. 2. Detectable endothelial dysfunction in COPD patients was shown to correlate with high-producer D allele of ACE gene, at an odds ratio of 6.632 (CI = 1.67-26.31; chi2 = 8.39, p = 0.004). Moreover, detectable ED correlated with numbers of COPD exacerbations per year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest possible association of the functional ACE D allele with altered vascular responses that may modulate development of distinct COPD symptoms. The results are obtained in a limited clinical cohort, and deserve repeated trials in other groups of COPD patients.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Pulmonology, St. Petersburg State I. Pavlov Medical University, 197089 St. Petersburg, Russia Federation.
authors.forename: Natalia A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Kuzubova
authors.forename: Alexey B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Chukhlovin
authors.forename: Elena B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Morozova
authors.forename: Areg A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Totolian
authors.forename: Olga N
authors.initials: ON
authors.lastname: Titova
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D062186:Arterial Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000502:physiology; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A
keywords: Angiotensin-converting enzyme; Chronic obstructive lung disease; Endothelial dysfunction; Gene polymorphism