A potential interaction between COMT and MTHFR genetic variants in Han Chinese patients with bipolar II disorder.
Bipolar II disorder (BP-II), characterized by recurrent dysregulation of mood, is a serious and chronic psychiatric illness. However, BP-II is commonly under-recognized, even in psychiatric settings. Because dopaminergic disturbance is thought to be involved in the development of bipolar disorder (BPD), it seems essential to investigate dopamine-related genes like the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene, which are involved in dopamine metabolism, and the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene, which may affect COMT methylation and COMT function. The current study examined the association and interaction of the COMT Val158Met and MTHFR C677T variants with BP-II. Nine hundred seventy-eight participants were recruited: 531 with BP-II and 447 healthy controls. The genotypes of the COMT and MTHFR polymorphisms were determined using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Logistic regression analysis showed a significant interaction effect of the COMT Val158Met Val/Val genotype and the MTHFR C677T C/T + T/T genotype (P = 0.039) for the protective effect on the odds of developing BP-II. Our findings support preliminary evidence that the COMT and MTHFR genes interact in BP-II, and they imply the connection of both dopaminergic pathways and methylation pathways in the pathogenesis of BP-II.
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Liang-Jen
LJ
Wang
1] Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan [2] Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Sheng-Yu
SY
Lee
1] Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan [2] Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Shiou-Lan
SL
Chen
Institute of Allied Health Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Yun-Hsuan
YH
Chang
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Po See
PS
Chen
Department of Psychiatry, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
San-Yuan
SY
Huang
Department of Psychiatry, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
Nian-Sheng
NS
Tzeng
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Kao Chin
KC
Chen
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
I Hui
IH
Lee
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Tzu-Yun
TY
Wang
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Yen Kuang
YK
Yang
1] Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan [2] Institute of Allied Health Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan [3] Institute of Behavioral Medicine, college of medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan [4] Addiction Research Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan [5] Center for Neuropsychiatric Research, National Health Research Institute, Miaoli, Taiwan.
Ru-Band
RB
Lu
D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D002681:China; D004843:Epistasis, Genetic; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D055815:Young Adult
C573423:MTHFR protein, human; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2); C588010:COMT protein, human; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase