The association of the alpha-5 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene and the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene with different aspects of smoking behavior.
Recent studies show that different aspects of smoking behavior are associated with the α-5 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (CHRNA5) gene and the gene coding for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This raises the question whether the amount of cigarettes smoked per day has a different genetic background than smoking initiation and what other smoking phenotypes may be relevant. The aim of this study was to replicate these associations in a large population-based sample. We investigated the association with smoking initiation and the number of cigarettes used per day and additional smoking phenotypes in a population-based sample of 2166 participants of Dutch origin. Rs6265 in BDNF was not associated with smoking initiation. This single nucleotide polymorphism was associated with smoking cessation. Rs16969968 in CHRNA5 was associated with the amount of nicotine used and in particular smoking 25 cigarettes or more per day. Overall, the results confirm the involvement of the CHRNA5 gene in the amount of nicotine use and further suggest involvement of the BDNF gene in smoking behavior.
Departments of Psychiatry, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands. E.J.Breetvelt@umcutrecht.nl
Elemi J
EJ
Breetvelt
Mattijs E
ME
Numans
Maartje F
MF
Aukes
Wopke
W
Hoeben
Eric
E
Strengman
Jurjen J
JJ
Luykx
Steven C
SC
Bakker
René S
RS
Kahn
Roel A
RA
Ophoff
Marco P M
MP
Boks
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000235:genetics*; D012907:Smoking / Q000235:genetics*
D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; C447158:CHRNA5 protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic