Association of DD genotype of insertion/deletion polymorphism of angiotensin-converting enzyme gene with systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephropathy

ABSTRACT

Systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] is a multisystem disease with unknown etiology. We hypothesized that insertion/deletion [I/D] polymorphism of angiotensin-converting enzyme [ACE] gene may influence the development and/or progression of SLE and lupus nephritis. In a crass sectional case-control study, genomic DNA from 106 SLE patients and 103 healthy controls matched for sex, age, and ethnicity, were genotyped for the [I/D] polymorphism of ACE gene by polymerase chain reaction [PCR]. Comparison of quantitative variants between two groups was assessed by student t-test and association between qualitative variables was analyzed by the chi-square or Fisher exact tests. The frequency of DD genotype in SLE patients was significantly higher than control group [25.5% vs. 14%], and the risk of SLE was 2.2 times greater in subjects with DD genotype than the individual by DI and II genotypes [OR, 2.2 [95% CI, 1.1 to 4.4]; p=0.023]. The distribution of D allele in SLE patients was significantly higher [p=0.021] compare to controls [47 and 36.4, respectively]. The Risk of nephropathy in SLE patients with DD genotype was three times more than other genotypes [OR], 3 [95% CI, 1.1 to 8]; p=0.027]. This study demonstrated that ACE DD genotype acts as a risk factor on SLE and Lupus nephropathy in an Iranian population