Angiotensinogen, Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme, and Chymase Gene Polymorphisms as Biomarkers for Basal Cell Carcinoma Susceptibility.

Introduction: The intake of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and specific antagonists of angiotensin II receptors, widely used as antihypertensive drugs, significantly reduces the risk of developing basal cell carcinoma (BCC), highlighting the possible tumorigenic role of angiotensin II (AngII). We present here the investigated genetic association between the development of BCC and functional DNA polymorphisms M235T, I/D, and A1903G in the genes of angiotensinogen (AGT), angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), and chymase (CMA1), which mediate AngII production levels.

Methods: DNA samples of 203 unrelated Greeks were studied, including 100 patients with BCC and 103 matched healthy controls.

Association Between a High Gene Expression Variant of Chymase and Increased Risk for Basal Cell Carcinoma.

Background/aim: Previous studies have associated certain variations in genes encoding factors of renin-angiotensin system (RAS), indirectly leading to higher angiotensin II (AngII) levels, with greater risk for basal cell carcinoma (BCC) development. Chymase (CMA1) is the main regulator of the RAS-independent AngII generation pathway and numerous studies have shown its oncogenic potential in several cancer types including BCC. In this study, we investigated the possible association between BCC pathogenesis and the functional DNA polymorphism A1903G (rs1800875) that affects expression of the CMA1 gene.