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The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism, and its effects on clinical, laboratory, histological findings, treatment responses and progression to end-stage renal disease in childhood idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (NS). 227 children diagnosed with idiopathic NS were included in the study. Eighty-three of patients were steroid resistant and 77 of patients were focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. The control group was consisted of 287 unrelated healthy adult volunteers. ACE gene I/D polymorphism were analyzed by using PCR based method. In the entire group of children with NS, the frequencies of the II, ID, and DD genotypes of ACE gene were 13.7%, 38.3% and 48%, respectively. D allele frequency was higher in NS group than control group (0.67 vs. 0.56, p=0.001). Percentage of frequent relapser patients was found more frequently in ID or DD genotype (38.7%) than II genotype (15%) when only steroid sensitive patients were evaluated (p=0.045). The D-allele frequency was 0.65, 0.69 and 0.68 respectively in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, biopsy proven minimal change and entire minimal change group (p>0.05) and 0.69 and 0.64 respectively in steroid sensitive and resistant groups (p>0.05). D allele frequency was not significantly different in patients with or without end-stage renal disease (0.64 vs. 0.67 respectively, p>0.005) when 115 patients who were at least five year follow-up were evaluated. The D allele frequency was higher in NS patients than healthy controls and DD or ID genotype was related with frequent relapses. ACE gene I/D polymorphism was not important in laboratory and histological findings and progression of the disease in children with NS.

The potential effects of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) on the natural immune response are due to the inhibition of immune cell activation, which is regulated by glucocorticoids. In this study, we investigated MIF -173G/C genotype and C allele frequency in 214 patients with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) and 103 healthy volunteers. We found significant increases in GC genotype (OR=3, p=0.0009) and C allele frequency (OR=2.5, p=0.0007) in INS. Upon classifying patients as steroid responsive (n=137) or resistant (n=77), a 20-fold over-expression of the CC-genotype was found in the steroid-resistant group (OR=20, p=0.0002). Moreover, a significant increase in C allele frequency in patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) has also been noted when compared with other histopathological groups (OR=3.2, p=0.0017). Furthermore, significant increases in the CC genotype (15.6% vs 3.3%) and C allele (75% vs 32%) frequencies have been found in patients with permanent renal function failure (p=0.013 and p=0.0002, respectively). Patients with the CC genotype were found to be at considerably increased risk of permanent renal failure (OR=5.43, p=0.013) and end-stage renal disease (OR=5.53, p=0.020). Additionally, there was a correlation between age of detection of proteinuria and CC genotype. We found an earlier age of onset of proteinuria in patients with the CC genotype (1.9+/-1.7 years) than in patients who were GC-heterozygous (3.7+/-3.1 years) and GG-homozygous (3.6+/-2.9 years, p=0.88). In summary, our results indicate that the MIF -173 C allele confers an increased risk of susceptibility to INS and plays a crucial role in glucocorticoid responsiveness.

The objective of the present study was to define the risk factors for hypertension and to analyze the influence of insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) on hypertension in pediatric renal transplant recipients. Twenty-six pediatric renal transplant recipients with stable renal function and treated with the same immunosuppression protocol were included in the study. Their mean age was 12.5 +/- 3.3 yr and mean time after transplantation was 38.5 +/- 39.8 month. Twenty-four hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) was performed by SpaceLabs (90207) device. The I/D polymorphism of the ACE was determined by PCR and ACE serum level was analyzed by colorimetric method. Hypertension was present in 15 patients (57.7%) by causal blood pressure measurements and 19 patients (73.1%) by ABPM. Twenty-two patients (84.6%) were found to be non-dipper and eight of them had reverse dipping. Only time after transplantation (38 +/- 31 vs. 79 +/-49 month, p = 0.016) and cyclosporin A trough plasma levels (206 +/-78 vs. 119 +/- 83 ng/mL, p = 0.020) influenced the presence of hypertension by multiple logistic regression analysis. The distribution of genotypes were II = 2 (7.7%), ID = 8 (30.8%), DD = 16 (61.5%). There was no effect of ACE gene I/D polymorphism or serum ACE levels on hypertension prevalence and circadian variability of blood pressures. Hypertension was related to the time after transplantation and cyclosporin A levels. The ACE gene I/D polymorphism and serum ACE levels did not influence the blood pressure values or circadian variability of blood pressure among pediatric renal transplant patients.