D allele of insertion/deletion polymorphism at angiotensin-converting enzyme gene is associated with reduced prevalence and severity of depression among Chinese adolescents at early stage after Wenchuan earthquake.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to longitudinally investigate the association of insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism at angiotensin-converting enzyme gene (ACE) with depression in Chinese adolescents experiencing the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake.

METHODS: Variants of ACE I/D were identified by polymerase chain reaction and verified by DNA sequencing. Depression symptoms were assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) among high school students at 6, 12 and 18 months after the earthquake.

RESULTS: The D-allele carriers had lower depression prevalence than II homozygotes at 6, 12 and 18 months after the earthquake only in females, but not in males. Meanwhile, BDI scores were reduced in the female D-allele carriers when compared with those in the female II homozygotes at 6 and12 months after the earthquake. In addition, ACE I/D was found to be the predictors of BDI scores and depression prevalence at 6 and 12 months after the earthquake.

CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the association of ACE I/D with depression are longitudinally different in Chinese Han adolescents after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. The D allele may be associated with reduced depression prevalence and severity in female adolescents in the early stage of depression rehabilitation during the follow-up.