Case-control association study of polymorphisms in the angiotensinogen and angiotensin-converting enzyme genes and coronary artery disease and systemic artery hypertension in African-Brazilians and Caucasian-Brazilians

The rennin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) is a critical pathway in regulating blood pressure and salt/water homeostasis, possessing an intimate relationship with the development of systemic artery hypertension (SAW. Once hypertension is considered a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD), the RAAS is also related to this pathology. This investigation aimed to analyse if the frequencies of AGT M235T (rs699) and ACE 1/D (rs4646994) polymorphisms are associated with CAD and SAH in African-Brazilians and Caucasian-Brazilians. In this study we analysed 714 subjects who underwent coronary angiography to detect obstructive lesions and CAD, as well as blood pressure measurement and SAH, grouped according to ethnicity: 266 African-Brazilians and 448 Caucasian-Brazilians, Among CAD and SAH cases and controls, the genotype and allele frequencies of ACE.1./D polymorphism were similar in both ethnic groups. The AGT 23577' genotype and 235T allele frequencies were higher in SAH cases (32%, 54.7/0) versus controls in Caucasian-Brazilians (19.8%, 46.4%; P = 0.038, P = 0,031, respectively), The AGT 235TT (OR = 1,8; P = 0.028) demonstrated to be an independent factor risk in a multivariate logistic regression increasing SAH risk in Caucasians but not in African-Brazilians. In summary, AGT M235T polymorphism was associated with SAH risk in_ Caucasian-Brazilians, and no association was detected with CAD. No association was also observed in ACE 1,D polymorphism either in CAD or SAH in African-Brazilians and Caucasian Brazilians.