Is the ACE I/D polymorphism associated with extreme longevity? A study on a Spanish cohort

The 287 bp Ins(I)/Del(D) polymorphism [rs1799752] in intron 16 of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene has been associated with extreme longevity (≥ 100 years) in some Caucasian and Asian cohorts, but this finding was not corroborated in other reports. We compared the allelic/genotypic frequency of the ACE I/D polymorphism among centenarians (N = 64, 100-108 years, 89.1% female) and nonagenarians (N = 47, 90-97 years, 76.6% female), and a control group of healthy young adults (n = 434, age 20-40 years, 50% female). All participants were of the same Caucasian (Spanish) descent. The ACE I/D genotype met Hardy-Weinberg expectations in all the cohorts. Allelic and genotypic frequencies did not differ by sex in any of the study groups (all p > 0.2). There were no differences in allelic or genotypic frequencies between groups, for example the frequency of the D allele was 62.3% in controls vs. 65.3% in the elderly (64.8% in centenarians). In summary, the ACE I/D polymorphism is not significantly associated with extreme longevity in the Spanish population. Further research is, however, necessary using other approaches. It also remains to be determined if the interaction of ACE genotypes with some other genetic variants exerts a potential effect on longevity.