Association of angiotensin-converting enzyme gene insertion/deletion polymorphism with allergic contact dermatitis.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) plays an important role in the physiological control of blood pressure and inflammation. Insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the gene for ACE was investigated in relation to cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the possible association between allergic contact dermatitis and insertion/deletion polymorphism of the ACE gene. A total of 90 patients with allergic contact dermatitis and 160 control persons were enrolled in the present study. ACE I/D genotypes were determined by the polymerase chain reaction. Allelic frequencies and genotype distribution of the ACE I/D polymorphism in the patient group were significantly different from control group (ACE II genotype 30.0% versus 17.5%, P = 0.022; ACE I allele 51.7% versus 39.4%, P = 0.008). Our data suggest that the ACE polymorphism could be a risk factor for patients with allergic contact dermatitis.

Rho/rho-kinase signalling in chronically alcohol-fed mice.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The effects of chronic ethanol consumption on male sexual function are debateable, and its effects on the Rho/Rho-kinase pathway are unknown. Therefore, we investigated smooth muscle reactivity and Rho/Rho-kinase signalling in the corpus cavernosum of ethanol-fed mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ethanol was added to drinking water at 5% concentration in the first 2 days with 5% increment every subsequent 2 days, up to a final concentration of 20% for 45 days. Corpora cavernosa were isolated and a cumulative dose-response curve to phenylephrine was obtained. Acetylcholine (10-6 M), electrical field stimulation (EFS, 40 V, 8-16 Hz) and Y-27632 (10-6-10-5 M)-induced relaxations were compared in the control and ethanol groups. RESULTS: Blood ethanol levels in the control and ethanol-treated mice were 1.5 ± 0.3 mg/dL and 37.4 ± 4.1 mg/dL (P < 0.001), respectively. Phenylephrine-induced contractile responses were potentiated in the ethanol group, with pD2 values of 4.92 ± 0.18 and 5.71 ± 0.21 (P < 0.01) in the corpus cavernosum obtained from control and alcohol-fed mice, respectively. The relaxant responses to acetylcholine and EFS, but not Y-27632, were significantly augmented in the corpus cavernosum obtained from ethanol-treated mice. However, expression and activation of Rho-kinase remained unchanged in the alcohol group. CONCLUSION: Ethanol drinking may increase sensitivity to both vasoconstrictors and vasodilators in the mouse corpus cavernosum without any alteration in Rho/Rho-kinase signalling.