Haplotype analysis of the COMT-ARVCF gene region in Israeli anorexia nervosa family trios

Elena Michaelovsky, Amos Frisch, Shani Leor, Daniel Stein, Yardena Danziger, Cynthia Carel, Silvana Fennig, Marc Mimouni, Sabine M. Klauck, Axel Benner, Annemarie Poustka, Alan Apter, Abraham Weizman

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19 Scopus citations

Abstract

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe and complex psychiatric disorder with a significant genetic contribution. Previously, we found an association between AN and the 158Val/Met polymorphism of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene in a family-based study of 51 Israeli AN trios. In the present study, we extended the original sample to include 85 family trios [66 AN restricting (AN-R) and 19 bingeing/purging (AN-BP) subtype] and performed a family-based transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) analysis for five SNPs in the COMT and two in the adjacent ARVCF gene. Association was found between AN-R and several SNPs in the COMT-ARVCF region including the 158Val/Met polymorphism. TDT analysis of 5-SNP haplotypes in AN-R trios revealed an overall statistically significant transmission disequilibrium (P < 0.001). Specifically, haplotype B [COMT-186C-408G-472G(158Val)-ARVCF-659C(220Pro)-524T(175Val)] was preferentially transmitted (P < 0.001) from parents of AN-R patients to their affected daughters, while haplotype A [COMT-186T-408C-472A(158Met)-ARVCF- 659T(220Leu)-524C(175Ala)] was preferentially (P = 0.01) not transmitted. Haplotype B was associated with increased risk (RR 3.38; 0.95CI 1.98-6.43) while haplotype A exhibited a protective effect (RR 0.40; 0.95CI 0.21-0.70) for AN-R. Preferential transmission of the risk alleles and haplotypes from the parents was mostly contributed by the fathers. No significant transmission disequilibrium of alleles or haplotypes was found for AN-BP trios. The risk and protective haplotypes may carry molecular variations in the COMT gene or its vicinity that are relevant to the pathophysiology of restrictive anorexia nervosa in the Israeli-Jewish population.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)45-50
Number of pages6
JournalAmerican Journal of Medical Genetics, Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics
Volume139 B
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 5 Nov 2005
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Association
  • Bingeing/purging
  • Eating disorders
  • Restricting
  • Transmission disequilibrium test (TDT)

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