Catechol-O-methyltransferase polymorphism and endometriosis.
OBJECTIVE
Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inactivates the estradiol metabolites, 2-hydroxy and 4-hydroxy catechols, which have been implicated in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. A COMT valine to methionine polymorphism (G-to-A) in exon 4 of the COMT gene is polymorphic in the human population, with 25% of Caucasians being homozygous for the low-activity allele (COMT-L) of the enzyme. In a case-control study we investigated whether this COMT polymorphism is associated with endometriosis.


METHODS
Polymerase chain reaction was performed to analyze the COMT genotype among women with surgically and histologically confirmed endometriosis (study group; n = 91) and in women without evidence of endometriosis confirmed by laparoscopy or laparotomy (control group; n = 92).


RESULTS
Allele frequencies for the low-activity allele (COMT-L) among women with endometriosis and controls were 0.50 and 0.50, respectively (p = 0.999; odds ratio = 1.0, 95% CI: 0.66-1.51).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that the valine to methionine polymorphism in exon 4 of the COMT gene is not associated with the risk of endometriosis compared to a surgical control population.
Wieser
Fritz
F
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Vienna, Austria.
Wenzl
Rene
R
Tempfer
Clemens
C
Worda
Christoph
C
Huber
Johannes
J
Schneeberger
Christian
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase