MAOA-uVNTR polymorphism may modify the protective effect of ALDH2 gene against alcohol dependence in antisocial personality disorder.
BACKGROUND
Antisocial alcoholism is related to dopamine and serotonin which are catalyzed by monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2). The objective of this study is to determine whether the interaction between the MAOA and the ALDH2 genes is associated with subjects with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) having alcoholism.


METHODS
A total of 294 Han Chinese men in Taiwan including 132 ASPD with alcoholism (Antisocial ALC) and 162 without alcoholism (Antisocial Non-ALC) were recruited in this study. Alcohol dependence and ASPD were diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria. Genotypes of ALDH2 and MAOA-uVNTR were determined using PCR-RFLP.


RESULTS
A significant difference of ALDH2 polymorphisms (p = 3.39E-05), but not of MAOA, was found among the 2 study groups. However, only after the stratification of the MAOA-uVNTR (variable number of tandem repeat located upstream) 3-repeat, a significant association between Antisocial Non-ALC and ALDH2*1/*2 or *2/*2 genotypes was shown (p = 1.46E-05; odds ratio = 3.913); whereas stratification of MAOA-uVNTR 4-repeat revealed no association. Multiple logistic regression analysis further revealed significant interaction of MAOA and ALDH2 gene in antisocial ALC (odds ratio = 2.927; p = 0.032).


CONCLUSIONS
The possible interaction of MAOA and ALDH2 gene is associated with Antisocial ALC in Han Chinese males in Taiwan. However, the protective effects of the ALDH2*2 allele against alcoholism might disappear in subjects with ASPD and carrying MAOA-uVNTR 4-repeat allele in the Han Chinese male population.
Lee
Sheng-Yu
SY
The Institute of Behavioral Medicine, Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, No. 138 Sheng-Li Road, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Hahn
Cheng-Yi
CY
Lee
Jia-Fu
JF
Chen
Shiou-Lan
SL
Chen
Shih-Heng
SH
Yeh
Tzung Lieh
TL
Kuo
Po-Hsiu
PH
Lee
I Hui
IH
Yang
Yen Kuang
YK
Huang
San-Yuan
SY
Ko
Huei-Chen
HC
Lu
Ru-Band
RB
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics*; D000071396:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial; D000483:Alleles; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004843:Epistasis, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics*; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D013624:Taiwan
C096127:ALDH2 protein, human; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; D000071396:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase