title: Association between migraine and endothelin type A receptor (ETA -231 A/G) gene polymorphism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have described an association between migraine and endothelin, a potent vasoconstrictor.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To test the association between migraine and gene polymorphisms of the endothelin system.
  
  
  METHODS
  A population-based study of elderly individuals (n = 1,188) in Nantes (western France) was conducted. Lifetime migraine was defined according to the International Headache Society criteria, after an interview with a headache specialist. Five polymorphisms in genes encoding endothelin 1, endothelin type A (ET(A)), and type B receptors were determined in more than 90% of the sample. RESULTS Migraine was diagnosed in 140 participants (11.9%). The ETA (-231 A/G) polymorphism was the only polymorphism significantly associated with migraine. There was a trend of decreasing prevalence of migraine with number of copies of the G allele (AA genotype: 15.7% of participants with migraine, AG: 9.7%, GG: 2.9%; p < 0.001). Carrying the G allele was associated with a sex- and age-adjusted odds ratio of 0.50 (95% CI, 0.34 to 0.74). The association was observed in both sexes and was stronger in participants with a family history of severe headaches than in those without.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A variant of the ET(A) receptor gene modulates the risk for migraine. These results offer new insights into the pathophysiology of the vascular component of migraine.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U 360, Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France. tzourio@chups.jussieu.fr
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tzourio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El Amrani
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Poirier
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nicaud
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bousser
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alpérovitch
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000235:genetics; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D015995:Prevalence; D044022:Receptor, Endothelin A; D017466:Receptors, Endothelin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D019332:Endothelin-1; D044022:Receptor, Endothelin A; D017466:Receptors, Endothelin; D009569:Nitric Oxide