Pujia A, Motti C, Irace C, Cortese C, Biagiotti L, Mattioli P L, Federici G, Gnasso A
University of Reggio Calebria, Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica, Catanzaro, Italy.
Coron Artery Dis. 1996 Jan;7(1):51-5.
Intimal thickening is an adaptive process of the arterial wall, presumably related to atherogenesis. Sex and interethnic differences in intimal thickening, as demonstrated histologically on autoptic material, would indicate a strong genetic control on this process. An insertion/deletion (ID) polymorphism in the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene has been shown to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease, especially in subjects otherwise at low risk for coronary heart disease. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between intimal plus medial thickness (IMT) and ACE-I/D genotype.
132 healthy male subjects from Southern Italy were enrolled. IMT has been evaluated from high resolution B-mode echo-Doppler images. Blood lipids and glucose were measured using standard methods. Cigarette consumption was recorded by questionnaire. ACE genotypes were analysed by polymerase chain reaction.
Blood lipids, blood pressure and percentage of smokers were similar in the three groups. IMT was greatest in DD subjects, lowest in II subjects and intermediate in heterozygotes. The association between the presence of the D allele and IMT values was statistically significant. Significance was maintained after the elimination of subjects with carotid atherosclerotic plaques.
The present data suggest that the ACE gene seems to be a candidate gene that strongly influences the IMT of the arterial wall and might therefore be involved in the individual's predisposition to the development of atherosclerosis.
内膜增厚是动脉壁的一种适应性过程，可能与动脉粥样硬化的发生有关。尸检材料组织学显示的内膜增厚的性别和种族间差异表明，该过程受强大的基因控制。血管紧张素转换酶（ACE）基因中的插入/缺失（ID）多态性已被证明是心血管疾病的独立危险因素，尤其是在其他方面患冠心病风险较低的人群中。本研究的目的是评估内膜加中膜厚度（IMT）与ACE-I/D基因型之间的关系。
招募了132名来自意大利南部的健康男性受试者。通过高分辨率B型超声多普勒图像评估IMT。采用标准方法测量血脂和血糖。通过问卷调查记录吸烟量。通过聚合酶链反应分析ACE基因型。
三组受试者的血脂、血压和吸烟者百分比相似。DD基因型受试者的IMT最大，II基因型受试者的IMT最小，杂合子的IMT居中。D等位基因的存在与IMT值之间的关联具有统计学意义。在排除患有颈动脉粥样硬化斑块的受试者后，该显著性仍然存在。
目前的数据表明，ACE基因似乎是一个强烈影响动脉壁IMT的候选基因，因此可能与个体发生动脉粥样硬化的易感性有关。
