No major impact of insertion/deletion polymorphism of the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene on thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy

Authors: SEYDİ OKUMUŞ, ŞENİZ DEMİRYÜREK, MEHTAP ÖZKUR, EROL COŞKUN, MEHMET GÜRKAN TATAR, İBRAHİM ERBAĞCI, ERSİN AKARSU

Abstract: To investigate the association between ACE gene I/D polymorphism and thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TO) in the Turkish population. Materials and methods: A total of 105 patients with TO and 102 healthy control subjects were enrolled in this case-control study. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes, and I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene (ACE) was determined using a polymerase chain reaction. Results: There were no marked changes in allelic frequencies and genotype distribution of ACE I/D polymorphism between patients and control subjects. The distribution of I/D polymorphism and allele frequencies of TO patients were not significantly different from those of the controls: DD genotype 34.3% vs. 41.2%; ID genotype 46.7% vs. 43.1%; and II genotype 19.0% vs. 15.7%; D allele 57.6% vs. 62.7%; I allele 42.4% vs. 37.3% (P > 0.05). Genotype and allele frequencies for men and women were also similar between the groups. Conclusion: Our data suggest that ACE gene I/D polymorphism does not constitute a risk factor for TO in the Turkish population. Further studies using greater numbers of patients from different populations are required to clarify the role of the ACE gene in conferring susceptibility to TO.

Keywords: ACE gene, allele frequency, I/D genotype, polymorphism, thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy

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