title: Association of MAO A polymorphism and alcoholism in Brazilian females.
abstract: Among the different possible genes involved in the alcoholism etiology, the X-linked monoamine oxidase A gene is a good candidate. The aim of this study was to assess whether a functional VNTR polymorphism in the promoter region of the monoamine oxidase A gene is associated with alcoholism, comparing patients of both sexes. Ninety-three alcohol-dependent patients (51 males, 42 females) and 93 sex-matched normal controls were engaged. In the total sample, the genotype containing at least one three-repeat allele was significantly more frequent among alcohol-dependent patients than controls (P=0.01). However, when the two sexes were analyzed separately, the difference was statistically significant only for females. This is of particular interest as rates of alcoholism in Brazil are markedly lower in females. Our results suggest that this monoamine oxidase A polymorphism could play a role in susceptibility to alcoholism, which may differ across sexes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Human Genome Research Center, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, Rua do Matão-Travessa 13, No. 106, Cidade Universitária CEP, 05508-090 São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Camila
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guindalini
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scivoletto
authors.forename: Ricardo G M
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Agnes
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Monica L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Zilberman
authors.forename: Marcoaurélio M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Peluso
authors.forename: Mayana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zatz
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000201:enzymology / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012016:Reference Values; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014930:Women
chemical_list: D008995:Monoamine Oxidase