The human mu-opioid receptor gene (OPRM1) contains a functional single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), A118G, which has been associated with altered opioid addiction risk, however the mechanisms responsible for this are not well understood.
<i>OPRM1</i> nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphism rs1799971 (A118G) is the most prominent candidate due to its significant association with onset and treatment of opioid addiction.
The OPRM1 A118G single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP rs1799971) gene variant encoding the N40D µ-opioid receptor (MOR) has been associated with dependence on opiates and other drugs of abuse but its mechanism is unknown.
Susceptibility to opioid addiction is associated with variants in the gene encoding the MOR, <i>OPRM1</i> Varying with ethnicity, ∼25% of humans carry a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in <i>OPRM1</i> (A118G).
To date few studies have explored the potential impact of the OPRM1 A118G polymorphism on the pharmacological effects of buprenorphine (BPN), a potent MOR partial agonist and kappa opioid receptor antagonist, which is approved by the FDA for the treatment of opioid addiction and chronic pain.
No opioid receptor, mu 1 (OPRM1) gene polymorphisms, including the functional single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs1799971, have been conclusively associated with heroin/other opioid addiction, despite their biological plausibility.
Although a role of OPRM1 polymorphisms in determining risk for opioid dependencecannot be entirely discounted, a major contribution of the Asn40Asp polymorphism seems unlikely.
In both patient samples and by both methods we were unable to corroborate the hypothesis of OPRM1 A118G polymorphism as a particular risk factor for any kind of substance dependence including opioid addiction.