The association between angiotensin I converting enzyme gene polymorphism and Chinese late onset Alzheimer disease

Objective: To investigate the relationship between angiotensin 1 converting enzyme gene insertion/deletion polymorphism and Alzheimer disease (AD), as well as the effect of hypertension on the relationship. Methods: This case-control study, included 96 AD patients meeting the DSM-IV diagnosis, and 96 subjects as controls coming from the same area and in the same environmental condition. Using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified the DNA segments, and the PCR products were identified by 2% agarose gel and visualized by ethidium bromide staining. Results: There was significant difference between AD patients and controls in ACE genotypes and alleles distribution, as well as between AD patients with high blood pressure and controls with high blood pressure. But between normotensive AD patients and normotensive controls, there was no significant difference in ACE genotypes distribution (P>0.05). Conclusion: ACE genotypes associated with the risk of AD, but II genotype as risk genetic factor only restricted in subjects with high blood pressure.