title: MAOA-uVNTR polymorphism may modify the protective effect of ALDH2 gene against alcohol dependence in antisocial personality disorder.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: 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.
authors.forename: Sheng-Yu
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Cheng-Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.forename: Jia-Fu
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Shiou-Lan
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shih-Heng
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Tzung Lieh
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Po-Hsiu
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: I Hui
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yen Kuang
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: San-Yuan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Huei-Chen
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Ru-Band
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: C096127:ALDH2 protein, human; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; D000071396:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase