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Thomas GN, Tomlinson B, Chan JC, Sanderson JE, Cockram CS, Critchley JA. Renin-angiotensin system gene polymorphisms, blood pressure, dyslipidemia, and diabetes in Hong Kong Chinese: a signif- icant association of the ACE insertion/deletion polymorphism with type

diabetes. Diabetes Care.

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Alvarez R, Alvarez V, Lahoz CH, et al. Angiotensin converting enzyme and endothelial nitric oxide synthase DNA polymorphisms and late onset Alzheimer’s disease. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry.

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Rahmutula D, Nakayama T, Izume Y, et al. J Gerontol Med Sci.

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Recently, a study of ACE polymorphism and longevity was performed in three different ethnic Chinese groups totaling 424 participants (16). The authors found an associa- tion between DD and longevity that was similar to that described here for the GP group. To explain the D asso- ciation with longevity, Rahmutula and colleagues (17) sug- gested that a genetic influence on differential survival may point to pleiotropic age-dependent effects on longevity.

At this time, the main reason for this association between ACE polymorphism and age is an open question (linkage disequilibrium? pleiotropic age-dependent effect? gene– gene or gene–environmental interactions?). Nonetheless, an association does appear to exist and is ethnic group dependent.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank research assistants Carin Gewer, Josiane Siviero, Gislaine Astir Flores, Alexandre Maˆnica da Cruz, Leni Arau´jo Leite, Ricardo Ehlers, and Margo Etiene do Canto, and Ivo Emilio da Cruz Jung for help with English translation. The study was supported by grants and fellowships from the Conselho de Desenvolvimento Cient´ıfico (CNPq), Fundac¸a˜o de Amparo a Pesquisa do Rio Grande do Sul (FAPERGS), and Coordenac¸a˜o de Aperfeic¸oamento do Ensino Superior (CAPES).

Address correspondence to Ivana B. M. Da Cruz, Instituto de Geriatria e Gerontologia, PUCRS, Av. Ipiranga, 6690, 90.610-000, Porto Alegre, RS- Brazil. E-mail: dacruz@pucrs.br

REFERENCES

Schachter F. Causes, effects, and constraints in the genetics of human longevity. Am J Hum Genet.

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De Benedictis G, Tan Q, Jeune B, et al. Recent advances in human gene-longevity association studies. Mechan Aging Develop.

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Schachter, F, Fuare-Delanef L, Gue´not F, et al. Genetic Associations with human longevity at the APOE and ACE loci. Nat Genet.

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Received October 7, 2002 Accepted December 5, 2002