The ALDH2*1/*1, ADH1B*1/*1, and ADH1B*1/*2 genotypes may interact and protect their carriers against heroin dependence and the protective effect may be varied by the DRD2 gene polymorphism.
To study the potential association between allelic variants of dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2), ANKK1 (ankyrin repeat and kinase domain containing 1), dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4), catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) and dopamine transporter (SLC6A3) genes and heroin dependence in Hungarian patients.
These findings point to a role for DRD2 polymorphism in heroin dependence in the Chinese Han population, and may be informative for future genetic or neurobiological studies on heroin dependence.
According to the allele, genotype and haplotype frequency analysis, we observed an association between HD and several DRD2/ANKK1 polymorphisms (rs1800497, rs1800498, rs1079597 and rs4648319); this was most notable in the late-onset HD subgroup.
Using data from a study of association between heroin dependence and the DRD2 gene, we obtained estimated haplotype frequencies and the associated likelihood ratio statistic using two different computer programs, MLOCUS and GENECOUNTING.
Our studies delineate the role of this SNP as a modifier of OPRM1 alternative splicing via hnRNPH interactions, and suggest a functional link between an SNP-containing splicing modifier and the severity of heroin addiction.
The present pilot study characterized the impact of OPRM1 genotype (rs1799971, 118G allele carriers vs. 118AA homozygotes) on heroin-use phenotypes associated with heroin dependence severity in a sample of male, Caucasian chronic heroin users (n = 86).
A recent study suggested that a second nearby variant within OPRM1, rs3778150, is robustly associated with heroin dependence and fully explained a smaller observed association with rs1799971.
These findings support a role of BDNFrs6265 and rs13306221 polymorphisms in heroin dependence and may guide future studies to identify other genetic risk factors for heroin dependence.
Our findings further illustrate the role of BDNF genetic variants in drug abuse and dependence and this study will help to identify who are at risk of becoming heroin dependence in the future and decide the more appropriate timing that interventions should be taken in the high-risk groups.
Polymorphism of a variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) in the 3' untranslated region of exon 15 of the SLC6A3 gene, coding for the dopamine transporter (DAT), was analysed to test whether length variation contributes to differences in the individual susceptibility to aggressive - criminal behaviour and liability to heroin dependence.
These findings indicate that DRD1 gene polymorphisms are related to heroin dependence in a Chinese Han population and may be informative for future genetic or biological studies on heroin dependence.
This study: (i) characterized the genomic structure of the hOPRK1 gene; (ii) identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the hOPRK1 gene; and (iii) investigated possible associations of these variants with vulnerability to develop heroin addiction.