title: DNA methylation of the LEP gene is associated with craving during alcohol withdrawal.
abstract: Different studies have described evidence for an association between leptin serum levels and craving in alcohol dependent patients. As leptin expression is regulated by DNA methylation we investigated changes of DNA methylation of the LEP gene promoter region in alcohol dependent patients undergoing withdrawal. Results show that low methylation status is associated with increasing serum leptin levels and elevation of craving for alcohol in the referring patients group. These findings point towards a pathophysiological relevance of changes in DNA methylation of the LEP gene promoter region in alcohol dependence.
authors.affiliation: Center for Addiction Research (CARe), Department of Psychiatry, Socialpsychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Molecular Neurosciences Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Socialpsychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. Electronic address: hillemacher.thomas@mh-hannover.de.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hillemacher
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Weinland
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lenz
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany; Frankenalb-Klinik Engelthal, Nürnberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kraus
authors.affiliation: Center for Addiction Research (CARe), Department of Psychiatry, Socialpsychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Annemarie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heberlein
authors.affiliation: Center for Addiction Research (CARe), Department of Psychiatry, Socialpsychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Glahn
authors.affiliation: Center for Addiction Research (CARe), Department of Psychiatry, Socialpsychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Molecular Neurosciences Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Socialpsychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Marc A N
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Muschler
authors.affiliation: Center for Addiction Research (CARe), Department of Psychiatry, Socialpsychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Molecular Neurosciences Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Socialpsychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bleich
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kornhuber
authors.affiliation: Center for Addiction Research (CARe), Department of Psychiatry, Socialpsychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Molecular Neurosciences Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Socialpsychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Helge
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Frieling
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D066249:Craving / Q000502:physiology*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005260:Female; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin
keywords: Alcohol dependence; Craving; DNA methylation; Epigenetics; Leptin