Relationship between angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion gene polymorphism and systemic lupus erythematosus/lupus nephritis: a systematic review and metaanalysis

• Published in: Journal of rheumatology Vol. 39; no. 4; p. 686
• Main Authors: Zhou, Tian-Biao, Liu, Yun-Guang, Lin, Na, Qin, Yuan-Han, Huang, Ken, Shao, Ming-Bin, Peng, Dan-Dan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Canada 01.04.2012
• Subjects: Genetic Predisposition to Disease - epidemiology; Genetic Predisposition to Disease - genetics; Humans; INDEL Mutation - genetics; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - enzymology; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - epidemiology; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - genetics; Lupus Nephritis - enzymology; Lupus Nephritis - epidemiology; Lupus Nephritis - genetics; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A - genetics; Polymorphism, Genetic - genetics; Risk Factors
• ISSN: 0315-162X
• DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.110863

Results from studies of the association between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion (I/D) gene polymorphism and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)/lupus nephritis (LN) are controversial. We performed this metaanalysis to evaluate the relationship between ACE I/D gene polymorphism and SLE/LN and to explore whether the ACE D allele or DD genotype could become a predictive marker for risk of SLE/LN. Association studies were identified from the databases of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and CBM-disc (China Biological Medicine Database) as of May 1, 2011, and eligible investigations were synthesized using a metaanalysis method. Results were expressed with OR for dichotomous data, and 95% CI were calculated. Sixteen investigations were identified for the analysis of association between ACE I/D gene polymorphism and SLE, consisting of 1959 patients with SLE and 2078 controls. In the overall populations, there was a marked association between D allele or DD genotype and SLE susceptibility (D: OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.04-1.58, p = 0.02; DD: OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.17-2.19, p = 0.003), and DD homozygous was associated with LN risk (OR 2.78, 95% CI 1.26-6.11, p = 0.01). In the subgroup analysis, DD genotype associated with SLE risk was observed in Asians; no other association was found in Asians, whites, Africans, and Brazilians. D allele and DD homozygous are significant genetic molecular markers to predict SLE susceptibility, and DD genotype is a valuable marker to predict the LN risk. More investigations are required to clarify the association of the D allele or DD homozygous with SLE/LN susceptibility.