Angiotensin I -converting enzyme gene polymorphism in children with nephrotic syndrome

Abstract

Objective To investigate the correlation between angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphism and nephrotic syndrome (NS) in children. Methods The ACE genotype of 42 children with NS and 107 healthy controls was detected by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) . Serum ACE activity was measured by ultraviolet-assay at the same time. Results (1) The distribution of ACE DD genotype was significantly different between the groups poorly and well responded to corticosteroid therapy (60 % vs. 5 %, P 0.05) . But the activity was significantly different among different genotypes within each of the 2 groups (F = 29.01 for the control group and F = 65.56 for NS group, P <0.01 for both groups) . (4) The serum ACE activity showed significant difference between the groups poorly and well responded to corticosteroid therapy (18 ± 4 U/L vs. 13 ± 3 U/L; t = 3.09, P < 0.01) . (5) The serum ACE activity was significantly different between children with FSGS and children without FSGS (38 ± 10 U/L vs. 23 ± 12 U/L; t = 2.18, P < 0.05) . Conclusions (1) Genotype DD is associated with poor responsiveness to corticosteroid therapy and FSGS in NS children. (2) The NS patients with genotype DD had the highest serum ACE activity and those with genotype Ⅱ had the lowest. (3) The higher serum ACE activity was associated with poor responsiveness to corticosteroid therapy and FSGS in NS children. Key words: Peptidyl-dipetidase A; Polymorphism (genetics); Nephrotic syndrome; Child