title: A twin study of human red blood cell catechol-o-methyl transferase.
abstract: Significant sibling-sibling and within-family correlations of human red blood cell catechol-o-methyl transferase activity have suggested a high degree of genetic control over levels of activity of this catecholamine-related enzyme. However, family studies do not disentangle genetic from environmental similarities as causative of within-family correlations. We therefore undertook a human twin study using the monozygotic-dizygotic comparison method. Twelve pairs of monozygotic twins had an intraclass correlation of 90 in red blood cell catechol-o-methyl transferase activity, and seven pairs of dizygotic twins had an intraclass correlations of 37. Heritability of the enzyme activity was estimated by different methods as between 68-100 per cent.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008967:Molecular Biology; D011247:Pregnancy; D014427:Twins; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic
chemical_list: D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase