Association study of catechol-O-methyltransferase gene polymorphism in Korean male alcoholics.
OBJECTIVE
Catechol-O-methyltransferase, which has a functional genetic polymorphism, plays an important role in dopamine metabolism. The study analyzed the association between the catechol-O-methyltransferase gene polymorphism and alcohol dependence in the Korean population.


METHODS
Ninety-seven male alcoholics and 94 male age-matched normal controls were enrolled in this study. Polymerase chain reaction-based genotyping was used to verify the presence of the catechol-O-methyltransferase gene polymorphism. The patients were divided into two subtypes (violent group and non-violent group) according to their history of violent behavior.


RESULTS
No difference in the distribution of the catechol-O-methyltransferase genotypes (H/H, H/L, L/L) and alleles (H, L) was observed between the patients and the controls. However, the differences between the violent and non-violent groups were significant in terms of the frequencies of the COMT genotypes (chi=7.977, df=2, P=0.019) and the alleles (chi=6.832, df=1, P=0.012). In addition, significant differences in the frequencies of the catechol-O-methyltransferase allele (chi=4.481, df=1, P=0.040) were observed between the non-violent group and the controls.


CONCLUSIONS
This suggests that the catechol-O-methyltransferase gene polymorphism is not associated with the development of alcohol dependence, but may affect the susceptibility to a clinical heterogeneity of alcohol dependence, at least in the Korean population.
Kweon
Yong-Sil
YS
Department of Psychiatry, Uijongbu St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Uijongbu, Kyonggi-do, Korea.
Lee
Hae Kook
HK
Lee
Chung Tai
CT
Pae
Chi-Un
CU
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014754:Violence
D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase