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Updated: May 29, 2026

Candidate Gene Testing in Clinical Cohort Studies with Multiplexed Genotyping and Mass Spectrometry
Published on: June 21, 2018
Association of ET-1 gene polymorphisms with COPD phenotypes in a Caucasian population
A Kaparianos1, F Sampsonas, D Lykouras
1Pulmonary Department, Division of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Patras, Greece. pneumonas@hotmail.com
Background And Aim:
The phenotypic expression of COPD consists of pulmonary emphysema and chronic bronchitis. An imprecise phenotypic definition may result in inconsistencies among genetic studies regarding COPD pathogenesis. Endothelin-1 gene polymorphisms have been linked to increased susceptibility of COPD development. The present study examined the involvement of +138 insA/delA and G198T ET-1 polymorphisms with emphysematous and bronchitic COPD phenotypes.
Methods:
In order to narrow down the phenotypic choices to either COPD-associated pulmonary emphysema or chronic bronchitis, a DLCO < 60% predicted threshold was chosen as an indicator of severe emphysema. 116 COPD smokers and 74 non-related, non-COPD smokers were evaluated.
Results:
Statistical analysis showed that the 4A allele of the +138insA/delA SNP and the 4A:T haplotype were associated predominantly with a chronic bronchitis phenotype, whereas the TT genotype of the G198T SNP was found to be protective from emphysema development.
Conclusions:
The presence of both the 4A and T allele seems to modify the final expression of COPD towards a chronic bronchitis phenotype, since the G:3A haplotype was associated with a predominantly emphysematous phenotype in our study.
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