Angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion gene polymorphism in Egyptian children with CAP: A case-control...

Area of Science:

• Genetics and Molecular Biology
• Pediatric Infectious Diseases
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a significant global health concern in children.
• The angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene is investigated for its potential role in CAP susceptibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if the ACE insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism (rs4340) serves as a genetic marker for CAP susceptibility in Egyptian children.
• To examine the relationship between serum ACE levels and the ACE I/D polymorphism in this population.

Main Methods:

• A prospective case-control study involving 300 Egyptian children with CAP and 300 matched healthy controls.
• Genotyping of the ACE I/D polymorphism (rs4340) using PCR-RFLP.
• Measurement of serum ACE levels via ELISA.

Main Results:

• The ACE DD genotype and D allele were significantly more frequent in children with CAP compared to controls (OR=3.05 for DD, OR=1.8 for D allele).
• Patients with the DD genotype exhibited substantially higher mean serum ACE levels (45.6 U/L) than those with ID (36.5 U/L) or II (21.6 U/L) genotypes.
• The ACE D allele and DD genotype were associated with elevated serum ACE levels in CAP patients.

Conclusions:

• The ACE I/D polymorphism (rs4340) may play a role in the genetic predisposition to CAP in Egyptian children.
• Higher serum ACE levels are linked to the ACE D allele and DD genotype in children with CAP.