Angiotensin I-converting enzyme gene polymorphism in intracranial saccular aneurysm individuals

Abstract

A polymorphism in the angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) gene has been associated with cerebrovascular diseases as a new potent risk factor. The purpose of this study was to investigate an association of the gene polymorphism with intracranial saccural aneurysmal patients. The study population consisted of 83 aneurysmal patients (age range 47-85 years) (the AN group) and 704 matched control subjects (age range 30-87 years) (the Control group). For detection of the ACE gene polymorphism, the standard PCR method was performed by using genomic DNA isolated from peripheral blood leukocytes. The PCR products were a 490-bp in the presence of the insertion (I) and a 190-bp fragment in the absence ofthe insertion (0). The ACE gene polymorphism was classified into three genotypes: 1,1 genotype (a 490–bp band); b,o genotype (a 790-bp band); or 1,0 genotype (both a 490–bp and a 190-bp band). The number of subjects with lilt 1/0, and % genotypes was 38, 40, and 5 in, the AN group and 43, 45, and 76 in the Control group, respectively. The frequency of the % genotype in the AN group was significantly lower (5/83 = 0.06) than that in the Control group (76/704 = 0.75) (X2 = 4.06; P = 0.044). There was no significant difference between the genotypes of hypertensive patients and normotensive patients in the AN group. Thus, this present study suggests that genetic heterogeneity of the ACE gene may be correlated with the etiology of intracranial aneurysms. [Neural Res 1998; 20: 607–611]