Background: Smoking as a major risk factor for development of cancer and cardiovascular disease is thought to be partially genetically determined. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is an association between insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and smoking status and the number of cigarettes smoked per week.
Methods: Using polymerase chain reaction, I/D polymorphism was evaluated in the ACE gene in 1204 male and 1375 female representative Caucasians. Information about smoking status and number of cigarettes smoked per week was collected via a questionnaire.
Results: Frequencies of the alleles and genotypes of ACE I/D polymorphism did not differ between smokers, past smokers and individuals who had never smoked. No association was found between ACE I/D polymorphism and the number of cigarettes smoked per week, either in males or in females.
Conclusion: I/D polymorphism in the ACE gene does not play any role in genetic determination of predisposition to smoking.