title: Angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphism (insertion/deletion) and liver fibrosis in Turkish patients from the western Black Sea region, Turkey.
abstract: Chronic viral hepatitis B, chronic viral hepatitis C, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis, and secondary biliary cirrhosis are important health issues worldwide. While an association between angiotensin-converting enzyme gene insertion/deletion (ACE gene I/D) polymorphism and liver fibrosis has been demonstrated in rat studies, the results of clinical studies area have been contradictory. The aim of this study was to assess the possible association between ACE gene I/D polymorphism and liver fibrosis in a large group of Turkish patients from the western Black Sea region. In 418 patients with different etiologies, ACE gene I/D polymorphism and serum ACE levels were investigated. The distribution of the "DD", "ID", "II" genotypes of the ACE gene were 32.5, 48.8, and 18.7% in the mild to moderate fibrosis group (N = 246, F:1-3 according to Ishak's score) and 39.0, 44.2, and 16.9% in the advanced fibrosis group (N = 172, F:4-6 according to Ishak's score). A significant correlation between serum ACE levels and ACE gene alleles was identified (P < 0.001): serum ACE levels of patients with D alleles were higher than those of patients with I alleles [44 (min 7-max 101) versus 29 (min 7-max 96)]. Patients with advanced fibrosis were also found to be older than those with mild to moderate fibrosis (P < 0.001). No significant association was noted between the patient gender and fibrosis severity. We conclude that ACE I/D polymorphism is not associated with the degree of liver fibrosis.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Clinic, Ataturk State Hospital, Zonguldak, Turkey.
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Turhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine; School of Medicine, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey.
authors.forename: S Uygun
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Ilikhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Hamamcioglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine; School of Medicine, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ustundag
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dursun
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, School of Medicine, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kokturk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D054643:INDEL Mutation; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A