Analysis of Common Polymorphisms in Angiotensin-converting Enzyme and Apolipoprotein E Genes and Human Longevity in Colombia
Received 11 January 2006; accepted 7 April 2006.
Background
Genetic analysis of human longevity may be useful for the understanding of molecular mechanisms implicated in age-related diseases. The molecular genetics of human longevity is largely unexplored in Latin American populations and other developing countries.
Methods
To explore the possibility of an association of common polymorphisms in two candidate genes and longevity in Colombia, we analyzed two polymorphisms in apolipoprotein E (APOE) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) genes in a sample of 538 Colombian subjects (18–106 years), using previoulsy validated PCR-based methodologies.
Results
We found a significant decrease in ACE DD genotype (24 vs. 16%) between young and old subject groups (mean age: 45 vs. 77 years) (p = 0.03). The ACE DD genotype and D allele decrease was significant only in women. There were no differences for APOE polymorphism between young and old subjects.
Conclusions
Our results are compatible with the expected age-related decrease of ACE DD genotype. Future studies examining functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the ACE gene and its correlation with serum ACE activity in the older subjects and their younger relatives in this sample are warranted.
aGrupo de Neurociencias, Facultad de Medicina e Instituto de Genética, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
bDepartamento de Patología, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
cDepartamento de Pediatría, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
dDepartamento de Cuidado y Practica, Facultad de Enfermería, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
eApplied Molecular Genomics Group, Department of Molecular Genetics, Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
Address reprint requests to: Dr. Humberto Arboleda, Instituto de Genética, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
ABSTRACT