title: Genotype and phenotype of N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) polymorphism in patients with contact allergy.
abstract: We investigated whether patients with contact allergy differed from non-contact-allergic, non-atopic controls with regard to genotype and phenotype of the polymorphic enzyme N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2). 55 contact-allergic patients recruited from the Information Network of Departments of Dermatology (IVDK) were compared to 85 controls from among local health care personnel. NAT2 activity was calculated from HPLC analysis of the ratio of the caffeine metabolites 5-acetylamino-6-formylamino-3-methyluracil (AFMU) and 1-methylxanthine (1MX) in the urine. NAT2 genotype was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A statistically significantly increased proportion of rapid acetylators was found in contact-allergic patients. This may have 2 possible implications: acetylation may enhance contact sensitization; or NAT2 status may be a genetic marker for contact sensitizability.
authors.affiliation: Information Network of Departments of Dermatology (IVDK), University of Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schnuch
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Westphal
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: T G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Geier
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brasch
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Merk
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawakubo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gutgesell
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Reich
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gebhardt
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grabbe
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Szliska
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Aberer
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hallier
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation; D001191:Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002110:Caffeine / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D010641:Phenotype; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D013418:Sulfamethazine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D002110:Caffeine; D013418:Sulfamethazine; D001191:Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase; C478900:NAT2 protein, human