Common CX3CR1 alleles are associated with a reduced risk of headaches.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the chemokine receptor CX3CR1 in headaches and migraine.


METHODS
Distribution of 2 polymorphisms of the chemokine receptor CX3CR1 (V249I and T280M) was determined in a population-based sample of 1179 elderly individuals.


RESULTS
Heterozygotes for both CX3CR1 polymorphisms had a reduced risk of recurrent headaches, with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.64 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.46-0.90) for the I249 allele and 0.55 (95% CI = 0.38-0.81) for the M280 allele. Haplotype analysis showed that carriers of the rarer CX3CR1 I249-M280 haplotype had a reduced risk of recurrent headaches, with an OR of 0.57 (95% CI = 0.41-0.80, P = .001). This association was seen for both nonmigraine headaches (OR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.28-0.79, P = .004) and migraine (OR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.43-0.98, P = .041).


CONCLUSIONS
These results need to be replicated but suggest that the chemokine receptor CX3CR1 may play a role in recurrent headaches.
Combadière
Christophe
C
INSERM U543, Laboratoire d'Immunologie Cellulaire, Faculté de Médecine Pitié-Salpêtrière, 91 Boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75634 Paris, France.
Godin
Ophelia
O
Vidal
Cécile
C
Cangialosi
Arnaud
A
Proust
Carole
C
Tzourio
Christophe
C
D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D000073883:CX3C Chemokine Receptor 1; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D005838:Genotype; D006261:Headache / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007532:Isoleucine / Q000235:genetics; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008715:Methionine / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D020078:Neurogenic Inflammation / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors
D000073883:CX3C Chemokine Receptor 1; C095235:CX3CR1 protein, human; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine; D007532:Isoleucine; D008715:Methionine