RESUMO
AIM: To study prevalence of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphism and its correlation with ACE level in Kyrgyz population suffering from chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN); to ascertain CGN progression and survival with reference to the genotype of ACE gene. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The above parameters were investigated in 76 CGN patients (mean age 34.1 +/- 1.9 years) and 48 healthy controls matched by sex and age. Amplification of the polymorphic site of the ACE gene was made with polymerase chain reaction. Spectrofluorimetry measured ACE concentration in the serum. Progression of CGN was assessed by reciprocal creatinine. Survival of the patients was calculated according to the Kaplan-Meyer method. RESULTS: The ACE genotype distribution corresponded to the Hardi-Weinberg equilibrium. However, a significant difference in the frequency of genotypes and alleles between CGN and control patients was not revealed. The activity of serum ACE in CGN and healthy subjects was noticeably higher in DD genotype than that in genotypes II and ID (P < 0.02). The former had a significantly higher level of total cholesterol and much lower glomerular filtration rate in a rapid progression of the disease estimated by reciprocal creatinine and higher 5- and 10-year survival compared to genotypes II and ID (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Development of CGN is not associated with any genotype of ACE gene in Kyrgyz population. At the same time, deletion polymorphism of ACE gene may serve as a predictor for CGN progression.