Val/Met polymorphism of the COMT gene moderates the association between job strain and early atherosclerosis in young men.
OBJECTIVE
Several studies support job strain as a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD) but null findings also exist. Individual differences in innate stress vulnerability might in part explain the mixed findings. COMT gene influences dopamine transmission and dopaminergic activity might moderate effects of stress on CHD risk. We examine whether COMT Val158Met polymorphism moderates the association between job strain and atherosclerosis.


METHODS
Participants (mean age 32.5) were 347 women and 353 men from the population-based Young Finns study. Preclinical atherosclerosis was measured using carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) ultrasound.


RESULTS
COMT polymorphism moderated the job strain-IMT association in men. Job strain was associated with higher IMT in Val/Val carriers but not among others.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings support a general model in which the interaction between genotype and job strain is assumed to predispose to increased atherosclerotic processes.
Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Mirka
M
Hintsanen
Marko
M
Elovainio
Sampsa
S
Puttonen
Mika
M
Kivimäki
Terho
T
Lehtimäki
Mika
M
Kähönen
Markus
M
Juonala
Riikka
R
Rontu
Jorma S A
JS
Viikari
Olli T
OT
Raitakari
Liisa
L
Keltikangas-Järvinen
D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D015984:Causality; D015897:Comorbidity; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006580:Genetic Carrier Screening; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014633:Valine
D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase; D014633:Valine