ANGIOTENSIN-CONVERTING ENZYME GENE POLYMORPHISM IN ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS IN JAPANESE POPULATION

Association between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorph ism and essential hypertension in a Japanese population with the same socioeconomic background was investigated. Insertion-deletion (I/D) po lymorphism of the ACE gene located on intron 16 was detected by polyme rase chain reaction. Association between ACE gene polymorphism and fam ily history of essential hypertension as well as the development of va scular damage in eye fundi were also investigated. Variation at ACE lo ci did not contribute to essential hypertension and the vascular damag es in eye fundi. These results suggested that the ACE gene was not dir ectly responsible for essential hypertension in this particular Japane se population with the same socioeconomic background.