ACE I/D polymorphism is a risk factor of Alzheimer's disease but not of vascular dementia

• Published in: Neuroscience letters 2005-03, Vol.377 (1), p.37-39
• Main Authors: Kölsch, H., Jessen, F., Freymann, N., Kreis, M., Hentschel, F., Maier, W., Heun, R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alzheimer Disease - enzymology; Alzheimer Disease - genetics; Alzheimer's disease; Angiotensin converting enzyme; Association; Biological and medical sciences; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Dementia, Vascular - enzymology; Dementia, Vascular - genetics; DNA Transposable Elements - genetics; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Deletion; Gene Frequency - genetics; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neurology; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A - genetics; Polymorphism; Polymorphism, Genetic - genetics; Risk Factors; Vascular dementia; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2004.11.062

Different studies have investigated the effect of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism on the risk of Alzheimer dementia (AD). However, results on the association of the ACE-I allele with AD have been inconclusive. A recent meta-analysis reported an association of the I-allele with the risk of AD. A few small studies also investigated the effect of ACE polymorphism on the risk of vascular dementia (VD). We have investigated the effect of ACE I/D polymorphism in 351 AD and 155 VD patients and 348 healthy controls. We found the I/I genotype to be associated with an increased risk of AD, but not with the risk of VD. Cell-specific effects of ACE polymorphism are suggested, additional studies on neuronal cells might help to understand the role of this polymorphism in AD.