POLYMORPHISM OF THE ANGIOTENSIN-I CONVERTING ENZYME GENE IS APPARENTLY NOT RELATED TO HIGH BLOOD-PRESSURE - DUTCH HYPERTENSION AND OFFSPRING STUDY

Objective: Studies in genetically hypertensive rats and their normoten sive Wistar-Kyoto control rats have revealed a linkage of a chromosoma l region containing the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene with blood pressure. This led to the hypothesis that ACE is a possible cand idate gene for primary hypertension in humans. We defined the genotype s and allele frequencies of an insertion-deletion (I/D) polymorphism i n parental couples who both had either high or low blood pressure and in their offspring. Subjects: Parents (n = 111) and offspring (n = 75) with defined blood pressure status from the Dutch Hypertension and Of fspring Study. Methods: Genomic DNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction using primers flanking the polymorphic region in intron 16 of the ACE gene. Alleles were detected on agarose gels stained with ethi dium bromide. Results: Allele frequencies for the D-allele were simila r in parents with high (0.66) and low blood pressure (0.59) and in the ir offspring (0.67 and 0.69, respectively). A similar lack of differen ce was found with respect to the complementary I-allele. Conclusion: I n the present rather large sample we failed to find a significant asso ciation between I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene and blood pressure st atus in subjects with high or low blood pressure and in their offsprin g.