title: Association study between catechol-O-methyltransferase polymorphisms and uterine leiomyomas in a Japanese population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate a possible association between uterine leiomyomas and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) polymorphisms in a Japanese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared the allele frequencies and genotype distributions of the exon 4 NlaIII restriction site polymorphism (RSP), the P2 promoter HindIII RSP at -1217, and the exon 6 BglI RSP in the COMT gene in 250 leiomyoma cases and 182 controls using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment-length polymorphism analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences in allele frequencies and genotype distributions of the exon 4 NlaIII RSP, the P2 promoter HindIII RSP at -1217, and the exon 6 BglI RSP were found between uterine leiomyoma cases and controls. Moreover, no associations were noted between these three polymorphisms in COMT genes and leiomyoma size or a family history of uterine leiomyomas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  COMT gene polymorphisms are unlikely to be associated with an increased risk of uterine leiomyomas in a Japanese population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morikawa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takemura
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kitao
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deguchi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ohara
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maruo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D018231:Leiomyomatosis / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length / Q000235:genetics*; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase