ANALYSIS OF SERUM ANGIOTENSIN CONVERTING ENZYME (ACE) ACTIVITY ACROSS ACE GENOTPYE IN NEWLY DIAGNOSED HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS

Abstract

Introduction: Essential hypertension is a multifactorial disease in which genetic and environmental factors play an important role. Angiotensin-I converting enzyme is a core enzyme of renin-angiotensin system and is known to play a critical role in the homeostasis of blood pressure.

Aims: To determine the association of the serum ACE activity with regard to ACE insertion/deletion polymorphism with essential hypertension in the adult Gujarati hypertensive patient.

Research design and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 173 patients with essential hypertension and 186 controls were recruited for the study. DNA samples were isolated from peripheral blood. Polymerase chain reaction was used for genotyping and ACE activity and other biochemical variables were measured.

Result: Genotype distribution in patients and controls were significantly different. Albeit the genotype frequency resulted in a higher frequency of the D allele in the group of cases than controls, the difference in allele frequency did not reach statistical significance and a trend of increase in SBP, DBP and serum ACE activity with increasing number of D alleles was observed..

Conclusion: Serum ACE activity and ACE I/D polymorphism plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of hypertension.