Objectives: Assuming an immune component in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, we have investigated a possible association between coronary artery disease (CAD) and the acid phosphatase locus 1 (ACP1) genetic polymorphism, which has previously been found to be associated with immune disorders. Methods: 226 subjects admitted to the hospital for CAD, 358 consecutive newborn infants, 279 adult subjects with type 2 diabetes without CAD and 137 adults without diabetes and without CAD from the Caucasian population of Rome were studied. The ACP1 genotype was determined by DNA analysis. Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS package. Results: CAD females showed an excess of ACP1 *A/*C and *B/*C genotypes and a deficiency of ACP1 *B/*B genotype compared to controls, while CAD males did not show significant differences. Among diabetic women the proportion of *C allele carriers was much greater in those with CAD than in those without CAD. This difference was much less evident in nondiabetic women. Conclusion: ACP1 may be involved in susceptibility to CAD. Since ACP1 has been found to be associated with immunological diseases, our observation reinforces the notion of an immune component in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.

Background: Adenosine deaminase is a polymorphic enzyme that has an important role in immune functions and in the regulation of intracellular and extracellular concentrations of adenosine and adenosine receptor activity. Aim: To search for possible association of type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1) with three loci haplotypes (ADA,, ADA 2 , ADA«) of the adenosine deaminase gene. Patients: One hundred and eighty-nine consecutive children with DM1 from Sassari, Sardinia, and a control sample of 239 children from the same area were studied. Methods: ADA loci genotypes were determined by DNA analysis. Results: Compared to controls, diabetic boys show a decrease of the 2 2 /6* haplotype while diabetic girls show an increase of the same haplotype. This association was replicated in an independent sample from Continental Italy. Conclusions: The 2 2 /6* haplotype may exert a protective action in males but may increase susceptibility to DM1 in females: OR = 0.398, 95% CI 0.16-0.96 for males, and OR = 2.31, 95% CI 1.32-4.06 for females.

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