title: Beta-2 adrenergic receptor gene variations and coping styles in twins.
abstract: We tested the hypothesis that the beta-2 adrenergic receptor (beta-2 AR) gene locus, with known effects on blood pressure regulation, is also involved in psychological coping styles. 166 pairs of monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins and DZ twin parents were investigated. We found common genetic variance for the coping factor Emotional Coping and blood pressure. Using three microsatellites we found linkage between the beta-2 AR gene locus and the coping factor Active Coping. Using allele-specific PCR of all the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the gene causing amino acid substitutions we identified associations between the +491 G/A SNP and various coping factors. We conclude that the beta-2 AR gene is relevant to coping. These preliminary findings suggest a molecular genetic underpinning of the relationship between psychological and physiological phenotypes important to cardiovascular risk.
authors.affiliation: HealthTwiSt, Wiltberg Strasse 50, 13125 Berlin, Germany. busjahn@healthtwist.de
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Busjahn
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Freier
authors.forename: Hans-Dieter
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Faulhaber
authors.forename: Guo Hua
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Magda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jordan
authors.forename: Margret R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hoehe
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Timmermann
authors.forename: Friedrich C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Luft
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D008040:Genetic Linkage / Q000235:genetics; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics*; D005858:Germany; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D010641:Phenotype; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018343:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic / Q000235:genetics*; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018343:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2