title: Genetic signatures of heroin addiction.
abstract: Heroin addiction is a complex psychiatric disorder with a chronic course and a high relapse rate, which results from the interaction between genetic and environmental factors. Heroin addiction has a substantial heritability in its etiology; hence, identification of individuals with a high genetic propensity to heroin addiction may help prevent the occurrence and relapse of heroin addiction and its complications. The study aimed to identify a small set of genetic signatures that may reliably predict the individuals with a high genetic propensity to heroin addiction. We first measured the transcript level of 13 genes (RASA1, PRKCB, PDK1, JUN, CEBPG, CD74, CEBPB, AUTS2, ENO2, IMPDH2, HAT1, MBD1, and RGS3) in lymphoblastoid cell lines in a sample of 124 male heroin addicts and 124 male control subjects using real-time quantitative PCR. Seven genes (PRKCB, PDK1, JUN, CEBPG, CEBPB, ENO2, and HAT1) showed significant differential expression between the 2 groups. Further analysis using 3 statistical methods including logistic regression analysis, support vector machine learning analysis, and a computer software BIASLESS revealed that a set of 4 genes (JUN, CEBPB, PRKCB, ENO2, or CEBPG) could predict the diagnosis of heroin addiction with the accuracy rate around 85% in our dataset. Our findings support the idea that it is possible to identify genetic signatures of heroin addiction using a small set of expressed genes. However, the study can only be considered as a proof-of-concept study. As the establishment of lymphoblastoid cell line is a laborious and lengthy process, it would be more practical in clinical settings to identify genetic signatures for heroin addiction directly from peripheral blood cells in the future study.
authors: Institute of Medical Sciences, Tzu Chi University, Hualien Department of Psychiatry, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taitung Branch Department of Health Executive Yuan, Bali Psychiatric Center Institute of Statistical Science, Academia Sinica, Taipei Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou Department and Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors: Shaw-Ji
authors: SJ
authors: Chen
authors: Ding-Lieh
authors: DL
authors: Liao
authors: Tsu-Wang
authors: TW
authors: Shen
authors: Hsin-Chou
authors: HC
authors: Yang
authors: Kuang-Chi
authors: KC
authors: Chen
authors: Chia-Hsiang
authors: CH
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D022782:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-beta / Q000235:genetics; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D016758:Genes, jun / Q000235:genetics; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000235:genetics; D064546:Protein Kinase C beta / Q000235:genetics; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012984:Software; D060388:Support Vector Machine
chemical_list: D022782:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-beta; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; C405462:CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein-gamma; C545012:CEBPB protein, human; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; C579054:PRKCB protein, human; D064546:Protein Kinase C beta; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase