Determination of human angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphisms in erectile dysfunction: Frequency differences of ACE gene polymorphisms according to the method of analysis

The D polymorphism of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)gene has been foun d to be associated with various diseases, and ACE may also be involved in t he pathogenesis of erectile dysfunction. On the other hand, interpretation of the data on the association of DD genotype with various diseases is cont roversial, due to methodological and technical variations in detection of t he polymorphisms. We investigated a possible association between the DD gen otype and erectile dysfunction in a Korean population, and compared the fre quency of ACE genotypes using our multiplexed PCR method with those based o n the conventional PCR method in a sample of erectile dysfunctional and con trol subjects. There was significant difference in the distribution of ACE genotypes between the erectile dysfunctional (conventional PCR) and the con trol subjects (multiplexed PCR) (chi (2)=7.395, p<0.05), but there was no s ignificant difference in the distribution of the genotypes between both gro ups (<chi>(2)=0.815, p>0.05) when our multiplexed PCR method was used. Ther efore our results suggest that especially the conventional PCR method for A CE gene polymorphism may require careful control and may need repeated test ing to verify the insertion deletion (ID) heterozygotes, and that a multipl exed PCR method can markedly increase the detection rate of the I allele in ID heterozygotes. No association was found between I/D polymorphism and er ectile dysfunctional subjects in the Korean population studied.