RESUMO
PURPOSE: Studies concerning the relationship between gene polymorphisms and potentially implicated cardiovascular disease have produced conflicting findings, in part due to differences in ethnic background between populations. These led us to evaluate the impact of polymorphisms in the ACE and E-selectin genes on peripheral artery atherosclerosis in a Korean population. METHODS: We studied 92 male patients (median age: 65.9, range: 48~82) with severe peripheral atherosclerosis documented by angiography and ABI (ankle brachial index). The control group comprised 290 healthy persons (male 216, female 64, median age 61.3, range 20~90) without symptoms for peripheral vascular disease. The blood samples were stored at -20oC until DNA was ready to be extracted. The inorganic procedure for DNA extraction was based on the method described by Miller et al. The ACE and E-selectin polymorphisms were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. RESULTS: The distribution of ACE genotypes of the patient group was as follows: II, 34 (37.0%); ID, 46 (50.0%); and DD, 12 (13.0%). It was not significantly different from that of the control subjects: II, 104 (37.1%); ID, 133 (47.6%); and DD, 43 (15.3%) (P=0.80). The allele frequencies of the patient group were as follows: I, 114 (62.0%); and D, 70 (38.0%). It was not significantly different from that of the control subjects: I, 341 (60.9%); and D, 219 (39.1%) (P= 0.80). The frequencies of E-selectin genotypes in the patient group were as follows: Ser/Ser 85 (93.4%); Ser/Arg, 6 (6.6); and Arg/Arg, 0 (0%). It was not significantly different from that of the control subjects: Ser/Ser, 262 (93.6%); Ser/Arg, 18 (6.4%); and Arg/Arg, 0 (0%) (P=0.95). In addition, the allele frequencies of the patient group were as follows: Ser, 176 (96.7%); and Arg, 6 (3.3%). It was not significantly different from that of the control subjects: Ser, 542 (96.8%); and Arg 18 (3.2%) (P=0.95). CONCLUSION: The I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene and E-selectin S128R polymorphism were not significantly different between the atherosclerotic patient group and the normal control group in Koreans.