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Bortolato M, Braccagni G, Pederson CA, Floris G, Fite PJ. "Weeding out" violence? Translational perspectives on the neuropsychobiological links between cannabis and aggression. AGGRESSION AND VIOLENT BEHAVIOR 2024; 78:101948. [PMID: 38828012 PMCID: PMC11141739 DOI: 10.1016/j.avb.2024.101948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Recent shifts in societal attitudes towards cannabis have led to a dramatic increase in consumption rates in many Western countries, particularly among young people. This trend has shed light on a significant link between cannabis use disorder (CUD) and pathological reactive aggression, a condition involving disproportionate aggressive and violent reactions to minor provocations. The discourse on the connection between cannabis use and aggression is frequently enmeshed in political and legal discussions, leading to a polarized understanding of the causative relationship between cannabis use and aggression. However, integrative analyses from both human and animal research indicate a complex, bidirectional interplay between cannabis misuse and pathological aggression. On the one hand, emerging research reveals a shared genetic and environmental predisposition for both cannabis use and aggression, suggesting a common underlying biological mechanism. On the other hand, there is evidence that cannabis consumption can lead to violent behaviors while also being used as a self-medication strategy to mitigate the negative emotions associated with pathological reactive aggression. This suggests that the coexistence of pathological aggression and CUD may result from overlapping vulnerabilities, potentially creating a self-perpetuating cycle where each condition exacerbates the other, escalating into externalizing and violent behaviors. This article aims to synthesize existing research on the intricate connections between these issues and propose a theoretical model to explain the neurobiological mechanisms underpinning this complex relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Bortolato
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Consortium for Translational Research on Aggression and Drug Abuse (ConTRADA), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Giulia Braccagni
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Casey A. Pederson
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Gabriele Floris
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Neural Sciences, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Paula J. Fite
- Consortium for Translational Research on Aggression and Drug Abuse (ConTRADA), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
- Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
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Yang L, Yang Z, Zuo C, Lv X, Liu T, Jia C, Chen H. Epidemiological evidence for associations between variants in CHRNA genes and risk of lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1001864. [PMID: 36276121 PMCID: PMC9582127 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1001864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Genetic studies have previously reported that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CHRNA genes (such as CHRNA3, CHRNA4, CHRNA5, or CHRNA3-CHRNA5-CHRNB4 clusters) are linked to the risk of neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases. However, these conclusions were controversial and no systematic research synopsis has been available. We aimed to synthesize current knowledge of variants in the CHRNA genes on the risk of diseases. Methods We systematically searched for publications using PubMed, Medline, and Web of Science on or before 25 August 2021. A total of 1,818 publications were identified, of which 29 were deemed eligible for inclusion that could be used to perform meta-analysis based on at least three data sources to assess whether the morbidity associated with neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases can be attributed to SNPs in CHRNA genes. To further evaluate the authenticity of cumulative evidence proving significant associations, the present study covered the Venice criteria and false-positive report probability tests. Through the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) project, we created functional annotations for strong associations. Results Meta-analyses were done for nine genetic variants with two diseases {chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer (LC)}that had at least three data sources. Interestingly, eight polymorphisms were significantly related to changes in the susceptibility COPD and LC (p < 0.05). Of these, strong evidence was assigned to six variants (28 significant associations): CHRNA3 rs1051730, CHRNA3 rs6495309, and CHRNA5 rs16969968 with COPD risk, and CHRNA3 rs1051730, CHRNA3 rs578776, CHRNA3 rs6495309, CHRNA3 rs938682, CHRNA5 rs16969968, and CHRNA5 rs588765 with LC risk; moderate evidence was assigned to five SNPs (12 total associations) with LC or COPD risk. Data from ENCODE and other public databases showed that SNPs with strong evidence may be located in presumptive functional regions. Conclusions Our study summarized comprehensive evidence showing that common mutations in CHRNA genes are strongly related to LC and COPD risk. The study also elucidated the vital function of CHRNA genes in genetic predispositions to human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Yang
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zelin Yang
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chunjian Zuo
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Army Medical Center of People’s Liberation Army of China (PLA), Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaolong Lv
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Tianyu Liu
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chenhao Jia
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Huanwen Chen
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Huanwen Chen,
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Schellhas L, Haan E, Easey KE, Wootton RE, Sallis HM, Sharp GC, Munafò MR, Zuccolo L. Maternal and child genetic liability for smoking and caffeine consumption and child mental health: an intergenerational genetic risk score analysis in the ALSPAC cohort. Addiction 2021; 116:3153-3166. [PMID: 33891774 PMCID: PMC9376939 DOI: 10.1111/add.15521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Previous studies suggest an association between maternal tobacco and caffeine consumption during and outside of pregnancy and offspring mental health. We aimed to separate effects of the maternal environment (intrauterine or postnatal) from pleiotropic genetic effects. DESIGN Secondary analysis of a longitudinal study. We (i) validated smoking and caffeine genetic risk scores (GRS) derived from published genome-wide association study (GWAS) for use during pregnancy, (ii) compared estimated effects of maternal and offspring GRS on childhood mental health outcomes and (iii) tested associations between maternal and offspring GRS on their respective outcomes. SETTING We used data from a longitudinal birth cohort study from England, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). PARTICIPANTS Our sample included 7921 mothers and 7964 offspring. MEASUREMENTS Mental health and non-mental health phenotypes were derived from questionnaires and clinical assessments: 79 maternal phenotypes assessed during and outside of pregnancy and 71 offspring phenotypes assessed in childhood (<10 years) and adolescence (11-18 years). FINDINGS The maternal smoking and caffeine GRS were associated with maternal smoking and caffeine consumption during pregnancy (2nd trimester: Psmoking = 3.0 × 10-7 , Pcaffeine = 3.28 × 10-5 ). Both the maternal and offspring smoking GRS showed evidence of association with reduced childhood anxiety symptoms (βmaternal = -0.033; βoffspring = -0.031) and increased conduct disorder symptoms (βmaternal = 0.024; βoffspring = 0.030), after correcting for multiple testing. Finally, the maternal and offspring smoking GRS were associated with phenotypes related to sensation seeking behaviours in mothers and adolescence (e.g. increased symptoms of externalising disorders, extraversion and monotony avoidance). The caffeine GRS showed weaker evidence for associations with mental health outcomes. CONCLUSIONS We did not find strong evidence that maternal smoking and caffeine genetic risk scores have a causal effect on offspring mental health outcomes. Our results confirm that the smoking genetic risk scores also captures liability for sensation seeking personality traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Schellhas
- School of Psychological ScienceUniversity of BristolBristolUK
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of BristolBristolUK
| | - Elis Haan
- School of Psychological ScienceUniversity of BristolBristolUK
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of BristolBristolUK
| | - Kayleigh E. Easey
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of BristolBristolUK
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical SchoolUniversity of BristolBristolUK
| | - Robyn E. Wootton
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of BristolBristolUK
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical SchoolUniversity of BristolBristolUK
| | - Hannah M. Sallis
- School of Psychological ScienceUniversity of BristolBristolUK
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of BristolBristolUK
- Centre for Academic Mental Health, Bristol Medical SchoolUniversity of BristolBristolUK
| | - Gemma C. Sharp
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of BristolBristolUK
- Bristol Dental SchoolUniversity of BristolBristolUK
| | - Marcus R. Munafò
- School of Psychological ScienceUniversity of BristolBristolUK
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of BristolBristolUK
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and the University of BristolBristolUK
| | - Luisa Zuccolo
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of BristolBristolUK
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical SchoolUniversity of BristolBristolUK
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α3* Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors in the Habenula-Interpeduncular Nucleus Circuit Regulate Nicotine Intake. J Neurosci 2020; 41:1779-1787. [PMID: 33380469 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0127-19.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Allelic variation in CHRNA3, the gene encoding the α3 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunit, increases vulnerability to tobacco dependence and smoking-related diseases, but little is known about the role for α3-containing (α3*) nAChRs in regulating the addiction-related behavioral or physiological actions of nicotine. α3* nAChRs are densely expressed by medial habenula (mHb) neurons, which project almost exclusively to the interpeduncular nucleus (IPn) and are known to regulate nicotine avoidance behaviors. We found that Chrna3tm1.1Hwrt hypomorphic mice, which express constitutively low levels of α3* nAChRs, self-administer greater quantities of nicotine (0.4 mg kg-1 per infusion) than their wild-type littermates. Microinfusion of a lentivirus vector to express a short-hairpin RNA into the mHb or IPn to knock-down Chrna3 transcripts markedly increased nicotine self-administration behavior in rats (0.01-0.18 mg kg-1 per infusion). Using whole-cell recordings, we found that the α3β4* nAChR-selective antagonist α-conotoxin AuIB almost completely abolished nicotine-evoked currents in mHb neurons. By contrast, the α3β2* nAChR-selective antagonist α-conotoxin MII only partially attenuated these currents. Finally, micro-infusion of α-conotoxin AuIB (10 μm) but not α-conotoxin MII (10 μm) into the IPn in rats increased nicotine self-administration behavior. Together, these data suggest that α3β4* nAChRs regulate the stimulatory effects of nicotine on the mHb-IPn circuit and thereby regulate nicotine avoidance behaviors. These findings provide mechanistic insights into how CHRNA3 risk alleles can increase the risk of tobacco dependence and smoking-related diseases in human smokers.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Allelic variation in CHRNA3, which encodes the α3 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunit gene, increases risk of tobacco dependence but underlying mechanisms are unclear. We report that Chrna3 hypomorphic mice consume greater quantities of nicotine than wild-type mice and that knock-down of Chrna3 gene transcripts in the habenula or interpeduncular nucleus (IPn) increases nicotine intake in rats. α-Conotoxin AuIB, a potent antagonist of the α3β4 nAChR subtype, reduced the stimulatory effects of nicotine on habenular neurons, and its infusion into the IPn increased nicotine intake in rats. These data suggest that α3β4 nAChRs in the habenula-IPn circuit regulate the motivational properties of nicotine.
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5
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Schote AB, A. L. Sayk C, Pabst K, Meier JK, Frings C, Meyer J. Sex, ADHD symptoms, and CHRNA5
genotype influence reaction time but not response inhibition. J Neurosci Res 2018; 97:215-224. [DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Revised: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea B. Schote
- Department of Neurobehavioral Genetics; Institute of Psychobiology, University of Trier; Trier Germany
| | - Clara A. L. Sayk
- Department of Neurobehavioral Genetics; Institute of Psychobiology, University of Trier; Trier Germany
| | - Kathrin Pabst
- Department of Neurobehavioral Genetics; Institute of Psychobiology, University of Trier; Trier Germany
| | - Jacqueline K. Meier
- Department of Neurobehavioral Genetics; Institute of Psychobiology, University of Trier; Trier Germany
| | - Christian Frings
- Department of Cognitive Psychology; University of Trier; Trier Germany
| | - Jobst Meyer
- Department of Neurobehavioral Genetics; Institute of Psychobiology, University of Trier; Trier Germany
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6
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Sun Y, Li J, Zheng C, Zhou B. Study on polymorphisms in CHRNA5/CHRNA3/CHRNB4 gene cluster and the associated with the risk of non-small cell lung cancer. Oncotarget 2018; 9:2435-2444. [PMID: 29416783 PMCID: PMC5788651 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.23459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
CHRNA5/CHRNA3/CHRNB4 gene cluster is located on chromosome 15q25.1 and was reported to be associated with risk of lung cancer. So far, the effect of three single nucleotide polymorphisms rs6495309, rs8040868, rs1948 in this gene cluster was unclear about lung cancer risk. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the associations of rs6495309, rs8040868, rs1948 polymorphism, smoking exposure and the interaction with non-small cell lung cancer risk in Chinese population. In this hospital-based case-control study, 306 lung cancer patients and 306 cancer-free controls were interviewed to collect demographic data and exposure status of smoking, and then donate 2ml venous blood which was used to be genotyped by Taqman allelic discrimination method. Our study found that subjects carrying rs1948 CT genotype stated to be a risk factor in Chinese Han population (adjusted OR = 1.594, 95% CI = 1.066-2.383, P = 0.023) and in non-smoking population (adjusted OR = 1.896, 95%CI = 1.069-3.362, P = 0.029). rs8040868 CC genotype indicated a higher risk for lung cancer in non-smokers in a recessive model (adjusted OR = 2.496, 95%CI = 1.044-5.965, P = 0.040) and in age-based stratified analysis (age <= 60, adjusted OR = 4.213, 95%CI = 1.062-16.708, P = 0.041). All smoking interaction were positive in the multiplicative interaction of the SNPs and smoking status (-/+) compared with recessive model. Overall, these finding suggested that rs1948(C > T) and rs8040868(T > C) could be meaningful as genetic markers for lung cancer risk in Chinese Han population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiting Sun
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- First Clinical College, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Jiaye Li
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- First Clinical College, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Chang Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Etiology and Prevention, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Department of Education, Liaoning, China
| | - Baosen Zhou
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Etiology and Prevention, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Department of Education, Liaoning, China
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7
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Schuch JB, Polina ER, Rovaris DL, Kappel DB, Mota NR, Cupertino RB, Silva KL, Guimarães-da-Silva PO, Karam RG, Salgado CAI, White MJ, Rohde LA, Grevet EH, Bau CHD. Pleiotropic effects of Chr15q25 nicotinic gene cluster and the relationship between smoking, cognition and ADHD. J Psychiatr Res 2016; 80:73-78. [PMID: 27302872 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2016.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2015] [Revised: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Polymorphisms in the CHRNA5-CHRNA3-CHRNB4 gene cluster (Chr15q25) have been robustly associated with nicotine dependence, including genome-wide studies, as well as with cognitive and neuropsychological measures. In addition, cognitive processes can be influenced by nicotine use through nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). Here, we evaluated the effect of polymorphisms in CHRNA5-CHRNA3-CHRNB4 gene cluster and their interaction with tobacco smoking status on cognition in patients with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Eight SNPs from the CHRNA5-CHRNA3-CHRNB4 gene cluster were evaluated on a clinical sample of 403 adults with ADHD. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R). Analyses of covariance were used to assess the influence of single markers and their interaction with smoking status in the Vocabulary and Block Design subtests of WAIS-R. Correction for multiple comparisons was applied. Lifetime smoking was associated to Vocabulary subtest. The TT genotypes of CHRNA5 SNPs rs588765 and rs514743 showed a trend towards association with, respectively, higher and lower scores on the Vocabulary subtest. There was a significant interaction between intergenic SNP rs8023462 and smoking on Vocabulary scores. Our results are consistent with an influence of variants in the CHRNA5-CHRNA3-CHRNB4 gene cluster on cognitive measures. The overall scenario suggests a pleiotropic role of Chr15q25 nicotinic gene cluster with complex influences in ADHD, tobacco smoking and cognitive performance, characteristics that can be partially interdependent and may share underlying genetic factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaqueline B Schuch
- Department of Genetics, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Evelise R Polina
- Department of Genetics, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Diego L Rovaris
- Department of Genetics, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Djenifer B Kappel
- Department of Genetics, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Nina R Mota
- Department of Genetics, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Renata B Cupertino
- Department of Genetics, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Katiane L Silva
- Adult ADHD Outpatient Clinic, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | | | - Rafael G Karam
- Adult ADHD Outpatient Clinic, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Carlos A I Salgado
- Adult ADHD Outpatient Clinic, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Melanie J White
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Luis A Rohde
- Adult ADHD Outpatient Clinic, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Eugenio H Grevet
- Adult ADHD Outpatient Clinic, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Claiton H D Bau
- Department of Genetics, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Adult ADHD Outpatient Clinic, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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8
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Fernàndez-Castillo N, Cormand B. Aggressive behavior in humans: Genes and pathways identified through association studies. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2016; 171:676-96. [PMID: 26773414 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2015] [Accepted: 01/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Aggressive behavior has both genetic and environmental components. Many association studies have been performed to identify genetic factors underlying aggressive behaviors in humans. In this review we summarize the previous work performed in this field, considering both candidate gene (CGAS) and genome-wide association studies (GWAS), excluding those performed in samples where the primary diagnosis is a psychiatric or neurological disorder other than an aggression-related phenotype. Subsequently, we have studied the enrichment of pathways and functions in GWAS data. The results of our searches show that most CGAS have identified associations with genes involved in dopaminergic and serotonergic neurotransmission and in hormone regulation. On the other hand, GWAS have not yet identified genome-wide significant associations, but top nominal findings are related to several signaling pathways, such as axon guidance or estrogen receptor signaling, and also to neurodevelopmental processes and synaptic plasticity. Future studies should use larger samples, homogeneous phenotypes and standardized measurements to identify genes that underlie aggressive behaviors in humans. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noèlia Fernàndez-Castillo
- Departament de Genètica, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona (IBUB), Catalonia, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Spain
| | - Bru Cormand
- Departament de Genètica, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona (IBUB), Catalonia, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Spain
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9
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Dolan CV, Geels L, Vink JM, van Beijsterveldt CEM, Neale MC, Bartels M, Boomsma DI. Testing Causal Effects of Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy on Offspring's Externalizing and Internalizing Behavior. Behav Genet 2016; 46:378-88. [PMID: 26324285 PMCID: PMC4826626 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-015-9738-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2015] [Accepted: 08/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Maternal smoking during pregnancy (SDP) is associated with increased risk of externalizing and internalizing behaviors in offspring. Two explanations (not mutually exclusive) for this association are direct causal effects of maternal SDP and the effects of genetic and environmental factors common to parents and offspring which increase smoking as well as problem behaviors. Here, we examined the associations between parental SDP and mother rated offspring externalizing and internalizing behaviors (rated by the Child Behavior Checklist/2-3) at age three in a population-based sample of Dutch twins (N = 15,228 pairs). First, as a greater effect of maternal than of paternal SDP is consistent with a causal effect of maternal SDP, we compared the effects of maternal and paternal SDP. Second, as a beneficial effect of quitting smoking before pregnancy is consistent with the causal effect, we compared the effects of SDP in mothers who quit smoking before pregnancy, and mothers who continued to smoke during pregnancy. All mothers were established smokers before their pregnancy. The results indicated a greater effect of maternal SDP, compared to paternal SDP, for externalizing, aggression, overactive and withdrawn behavior. Quitting smoking was associated with less externalizing, overactive behavior, aggression, and oppositional behavior, but had no effect on internalizing, anxious depression, or withdrawn behavior. We conclude that these results are consistent with a causal, but small, effect of smoking on externalizing problems at age 3. The results do not support a causal effect of maternal SDP on internalizing behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- C V Dolan
- Department of Biological Psychology, Netherlands Twin Register, VU University Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - L Geels
- Department of Biological Psychology, Netherlands Twin Register, VU University Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - J M Vink
- Department of Biological Psychology, Netherlands Twin Register, VU University Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - C E M van Beijsterveldt
- Department of Biological Psychology, Netherlands Twin Register, VU University Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - M C Neale
- Department of Biological Psychology, Netherlands Twin Register, VU University Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - M Bartels
- Department of Biological Psychology, Netherlands Twin Register, VU University Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dorret I Boomsma
- Department of Biological Psychology, Netherlands Twin Register, VU University Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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10
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Kamens HM, Corley RP, Richmond PA, Darlington TM, Dowell R, Hopfer CJ, Stallings MC, Hewitt JK, Brown SA, Ehringer MA. Evidence for Association Between Low Frequency Variants in CHRNA6/CHRNB3 and Antisocial Drug Dependence. Behav Genet 2016; 46:693-704. [PMID: 27085880 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-016-9792-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2015] [Accepted: 04/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Common SNPs in nicotinic acetylcholine receptor genes (CHRN genes) have been associated with drug behaviors and personality traits, but the influence of rare genetic variants is not well characterized. The goal of this project was to identify novel rare variants in CHRN genes in the Center for Antisocial Drug Dependence (CADD) and Genetics of Antisocial Drug Dependence (GADD) samples and to determine if low frequency variants are associated with antisocial drug dependence. Two samples of 114 and 200 individuals were selected using a case/control design including the tails of the phenotypic distribution of antisocial drug dependence. The capture, sequencing, and analysis of all variants in 16 CHRN genes (CHRNA1-7, 9, 10, CHRNB1-4, CHRND, CHRNG, CHRNE) were performed independently for each subject in each sample. Sequencing reads were aligned to the human reference sequence using BWA prior to variant calling with the Genome Analysis ToolKit (GATK). Low frequency variants (minor allele frequency < 0.05) were analyzed using SKAT-O and C-alpha to examine the distribution of rare variants among cases and controls. In our larger sample, the region containing the CHRNA6/CHRNB3 gene cluster was significantly associated with disease status using both SKAT-O and C-alpha (unadjusted p values <0.05). More low frequency variants in the CHRNA6/CHRNB3 gene region were observed in cases compared to controls. These data support a role for genetic variants in CHRN genes and antisocial drug behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen M Kamens
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Robin P Corley
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, 447 UCB, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | | | - Todd M Darlington
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, 447 UCB, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Robin Dowell
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA.,Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Christian J Hopfer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Michael C Stallings
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, 447 UCB, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA.,Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - John K Hewitt
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, 447 UCB, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA.,Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Sandra A Brown
- Department of Psychology and Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Marissa A Ehringer
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, 447 UCB, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA. .,Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA.
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11
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Parikh V, Kutlu MG, Gould TJ. nAChR dysfunction as a common substrate for schizophrenia and comorbid nicotine addiction: Current trends and perspectives. Schizophr Res 2016; 171:1-15. [PMID: 26803692 PMCID: PMC4762752 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2016.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2015] [Revised: 01/07/2016] [Accepted: 01/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The prevalence of tobacco use in the population with schizophrenia is enormously high. Moreover, nicotine dependence is found to be associated with symptom severity and poor outcome in patients with schizophrenia. The neurobiological mechanisms that explain schizophrenia-nicotine dependence comorbidity are not known. This study systematically reviews the evidence highlighting the contribution of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) to nicotine abuse in schizophrenia. METHODS Electronic data bases (Medline, Google Scholar, and Web of Science) were searched using the selected key words that match the aims set forth for this review. A total of 276 articles were used for the qualitative synthesis of this review. RESULTS Substantial evidence from preclinical and clinical studies indicated that dysregulation of α7 and β2-subunit containing nAChRs account for the cognitive and affective symptoms of schizophrenia and nicotine use may represent a strategy to remediate these symptoms. Additionally, recent meta-analyses proposed that early tobacco use may itself increase the risk of developing schizophrenia. Genetic studies demonstrating that nAChR dysfunction that may act as a shared vulnerability factor for comorbid tobacco dependence and schizophrenia were found to support this view. The development of nAChR modulators was considered an effective therapeutic strategy to ameliorate psychiatric symptoms and to promote smoking cessation in schizophrenia patients. CONCLUSIONS The relationship between schizophrenia and smoking is complex. While the debate for the self-medication versus addiction vulnerability hypothesis continues, it is widely accepted that a dysfunction in the central nAChRs represent a common substrate for various symptoms of schizophrenia and comorbid nicotine dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinay Parikh
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19112, United States.
| | - Munir Gunes Kutlu
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19112, United States
| | - Thomas J Gould
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19112, United States
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12
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Weeland J, Overbeek G, de Castro BO, Matthys W. Underlying Mechanisms of Gene-Environment Interactions in Externalizing Behavior: A Systematic Review and Search for Theoretical Mechanisms. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 2015; 18:413-42. [PMID: 26537239 PMCID: PMC4637001 DOI: 10.1007/s10567-015-0196-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Over the last decade, several candidate genes (i.e., MAOA, DRD4, DRD2, DAT1, 5-HTTLPR, and COMT) have been extensively studied as potential moderators of the detrimental effects of postnatal family adversity on child externalizing behaviors, such as aggression and conduct disorder. Many studies on such candidate gene by environment interactions (i.e., cG × E) have been published, and the first part of this paper offers a systematic review and integration of their findings (n = 53). The overview shows a set of heterogeneous findings. However, because of large differences between studies in terms of sample composition, conceptualizations, and power, it is difficult to determine if different findings indeed illustrate inconsistent cG × E findings or if findings are simply incomparable. In the second part of the paper, therefore, we argue that one way to help resolve this problem is the development of theory-driven a priori hypotheses on which biopsychosocial mechanisms might underlie cG × E. Such a theoretically based approach can help us specify our research strategies, create more comparable findings, and help us interpret different findings between studies. In accordance, we describe three possible explanatory mechanisms, based on extant literature on the concepts of (1) emotional reactivity, (2) reward sensitivity, and (3) punishment sensitivity. For each mechanism, we discuss the link between the putative mechanism and externalizing behaviors, the genetic polymorphism, and family adversity. Possible research strategies to test these mechanisms, and implications for interventions, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce Weeland
- Utrecht Centre for Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, PO Box 15.804, 1001 NH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Geertjan Overbeek
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bram Orobio de Castro
- Utrecht Centre for Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, PO Box 15.804, 1001 NH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Walter Matthys
- Department of Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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13
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Adrian M, Kiff C, Glazner C, Kohen R, Tracy JH, Zhou C, McCauley E, Stoep AV. Examining gene-environment interactions in comorbid depressive and disruptive behavior disorders using a Bayesian approach. J Psychiatr Res 2015; 68:125-33. [PMID: 26228411 PMCID: PMC4522042 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2015.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2014] [Revised: 06/04/2015] [Accepted: 06/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to apply a Bayesian statistical analytic approach that minimizes multiple testing problems to explore the combined effects of chronic low familial support and variants in 12 candidate genes on risk for a common and debilitating childhood mental health condition. METHOD Bayesian mixture modeling was used to examine gene by environment interactions among genetic variants and environmental factors (family support) associated in previous studies with the occurrence of comorbid depression and disruptive behavior disorders youth, using a sample of 255 children. RESULTS One main effect, variants in the oxytocin receptor (OXTR, rs53576) was associated with increased risk for comorbid disorders. Two significant gene × environment and one signification gene × gene interactions emerged. Variants in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor α5 subunit (CHRNA5, rs16969968) and in the glucocorticoid receptor chaperone protein FK506 binding protein 5 (FKBP5, rs4713902) interacted with chronic low family support in association with child mental health status. One gene × gene interaction, 5-HTTLPR variant of the serotonin transporter (SERT/SLC6A4) in combination with μ opioid receptor (OPRM1, rs1799971) was associated with comorbid depression and conduct problems. CONCLUSIONS Results indicate that Bayesian modeling is a feasible strategy for conducting behavioral genetics research. This approach, combined with an optimized genetic selection strategy (Vrieze et al., 2012), revealed genetic variants involved in stress regulation (FKBP5, SERT × OPMR), social bonding (OXTR), and nicotine responsivity (CHRNA5) in predicting comorbid status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly Adrian
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, USA; Seattle Children's Research Institute, Center for Child Health, Behavior, and Development, USA.
| | - Cara Kiff
- University of California Los Angeles, Semel Institute
| | | | - Ruth Kohen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington
| | - Julia Helen Tracy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington
| | - Chuan Zhou
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Center for Child Health, Behavior, and Development
| | - Elizabeth McCauley
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Center for Child Health, Behavior, and Development
| | - Ann Vander Stoep
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Center for Child Health, Behavior, and Development
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14
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Meyers JL, Salvatore JE, Vuoksimaa E, Korhonen T, Pulkkinen L, Rose RJ, Kaprio J, Dick DM. Genetic influences on alcohol use behaviors have diverging developmental trajectories: a prospective study among male and female twins. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2015; 38:2869-77. [PMID: 25421521 DOI: 10.1111/acer.12560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2014] [Accepted: 08/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Both alcohol-specific genetic factors and genetic factors related to externalizing behavior influence problematic alcohol use. Little is known, however, about the etiologic role of these 2 components of genetic risk on alcohol-related behaviors across development. Prior studies conducted in a male cohort of twins suggest that externalizing genetic factors are important for predicting heavy alcohol use in adolescence, whereas alcohol-specific genetic factors increase in importance during the transition to adulthood. In this report, we studied twin brothers and sisters and brother-sister twin pairs to examine such developmental trajectories and investigate whether sex and cotwin sex effects modify these genetic influences. METHODS We used prospective, longitudinal twin data collected between ages 12 and 22 within the population-based FinnTwin12 cohort study (analytic n = 1,864). Our dependent measures of alcohol use behaviors included alcohol initiation (age 12), intoxication frequency (ages 14 and 17), and alcohol dependence criteria (age 22). Each individual's genetic risk of alcohol use disorders (AUD-GR) was indexed by his/her parents' and cotwin's DSM-IV Alcohol Dependence (AD) criterion counts. Likewise, each individual's genetic risk of externalizing disorders (EXT-GR) was indexed with a composite measure of parents' and cotwin's DSM-IV Conduct Disorder and Antisocial Personality Disorder criterion counts. RESULTS EXT-GR was most strongly related to alcohol use behaviors during adolescence, while AUD-GR was most strongly related to alcohol problems in young adulthood. Further, sex of the twin and sex of the cotwin significantly moderated the associations between genetic risk and alcohol use behaviors across development: AUD-GR influenced early adolescent alcohol use behaviors in females more than in males, and EXT-GR influenced age 22 AD more in males than in females. In addition, the associations of AUD-GR and EXT-GR with intoxication frequency were greater among 14- and 17-year-old females with twin brothers. CONCLUSIONS We found divergent developmental trajectories for alcohol-specific and externalizing behavior-related genetic influences on alcohol use behaviors; in early adolescence, genetic influences on alcohol use behaviors are largely nonspecific, and later in adolescence and young adulthood, alcohol-specific genetic influences on alcohol use are more influential. Importantly, within these overall trajectories, several interesting sex differences emerged. We found that the relationship between genetic risk and problematic drinking across development is moderated by the individual's sex and his/her cotwin's sex. AUD-GR influenced adolescent alcohol outcomes in females more than in males and by age 22, EXT-GR influenced AD criteria more for males than females. In addition, the association between genetic risk and intoxication frequency was greater among 14- and 17-year-old females with male cotwins.
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15
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Stephens SH, Hartz SM, Hoft NR, Saccone NL, Corley RC, Hewitt JK, Hopfer CJ, Breslau N, Coon H, Chen X, Ducci F, Dueker N, Franceschini N, Frank J, Han Y, Hansel NN, Jiang C, Korhonen T, Lind PA, Liu J, Lyytikäinen LP, Michel M, Shaffer JR, Short SE, Sun J, Teumer A, Thompson JR, Vogelzangs N, Vink JM, Wenzlaff A, Wheeler W, Yang BZ, Aggen SH, Balmforth AJ, Baumeister SE, Beaty TH, Benjamin DJ, Bergen AW, Broms U, Cesarini D, Chatterjee N, Chen J, Cheng YC, Cichon S, Couper D, Cucca F, Dick D, Foroud T, Furberg H, Giegling I, Gillespie NA, Gu F, Hall AS, Hällfors J, Han S, Hartmann AM, Heikkilä K, Hickie IB, Hottenga JJ, Jousilahti P, Kaakinen M, Kähönen M, Koellinger PD, Kittner S, Konte B, Landi MT, Laatikainen T, Leppert M, Levy SM, Mathias RA, McNeil DW, Medland SE, Montgomery GW, Murray T, Nauck M, North KE, Paré PD, Pergadia M, Ruczinski I, Salomaa V, Viikari J, Willemsen G, Barnes KC, Boerwinkle E, Boomsma DI, Caporaso N, Edenberg HJ, Francks C, Gelernter J, Grabe HJ, Hops H, Jarvelin MR, Johannesson M, Kendler KS, Lehtimäki T, Magnusson PK, Marazita ML, Marchini J, Mitchell BD, Nöthen MM, Penninx BW, Raitakari O, Rietschel M, Rujescu D, Samani NJ, Schwartz AG, Shete S, Spitz M, Swan GE, Völzke H, Veijola J, Wei Q, Amos C, Cannon DS, Grucza R, Hatsukami D, Heath A, Johnson EO, Kaprio J, Madden P, Martin NG, Stevens VL, Weiss RB, Kraft P, Bierut LJ, Ehringer MA. Distinct loci in the CHRNA5/CHRNA3/CHRNB4 gene cluster are associated with onset of regular smoking. Genet Epidemiol 2013; 37:846-59. [PMID: 24186853 PMCID: PMC3947535 DOI: 10.1002/gepi.21760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2013] [Revised: 06/21/2013] [Accepted: 08/14/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) genes (CHRNA5/CHRNA3/CHRNB4) have been reproducibly associated with nicotine dependence, smoking behaviors, and lung cancer risk. Of the few reports that have focused on early smoking behaviors, association results have been mixed. This meta-analysis examines early smoking phenotypes and SNPs in the gene cluster to determine: (1) whether the most robust association signal in this region (rs16969968) for other smoking behaviors is also associated with early behaviors, and/or (2) if additional statistically independent signals are important in early smoking. We focused on two phenotypes: age of tobacco initiation (AOI) and age of first regular tobacco use (AOS). This study included 56,034 subjects (41 groups) spanning nine countries and evaluated five SNPs including rs1948, rs16969968, rs578776, rs588765, and rs684513. Each dataset was analyzed using a centrally generated script. Meta-analyses were conducted from summary statistics. AOS yielded significant associations with SNPs rs578776 (beta = 0.02, P = 0.004), rs1948 (beta = 0.023, P = 0.018), and rs684513 (beta = 0.032, P = 0.017), indicating protective effects. There were no significant associations for the AOI phenotype. Importantly, rs16969968, the most replicated signal in this region for nicotine dependence, cigarettes per day, and cotinine levels, was not associated with AOI (P = 0.59) or AOS (P = 0.92). These results provide important insight into the complexity of smoking behavior phenotypes, and suggest that association signals in the CHRNA5/A3/B4 gene cluster affecting early smoking behaviors may be different from those affecting the mature nicotine dependence phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah H. Stephens
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Sarah M. Hartz
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Nicole R. Hoft
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Nancy L. Saccone
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Robin C. Corley
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
| | - John K. Hewitt
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Christian J. Hopfer
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Naomi Breslau
- Department of Epidemiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Hilary Coon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Xiangning Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Francesca Ducci
- Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London and Department of Mental Health, St George’s University, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychiatry, Neurobiology, Pharmacology, and Biotechnology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Nicole Dueker
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Nora Franceschini
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Josef Frank
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Clinical Faculty Mannheim / Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Younghun Han
- Department of Epidemiology, MD Anderson, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Nadia N. Hansel
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Chenhui Jiang
- Departments of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Tellervo Korhonen
- Department of Public Health, Hjelt Institute, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Penelope A. Lind
- Department of Epidemiology, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jason Liu
- Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Leo-Pekka Lyytikäinen
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere University Hospital and University of Tampere School of Medicine, Tampere, Finland
| | - Martha Michel
- Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, California, United States of America
| | - John R. Shaffer
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Susan E. Short
- Department of Sociology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America
| | - Juzhong Sun
- Department of Epidemiology Research, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Alexander Teumer
- University Medicine Greifswald, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - John R. Thompson
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Nicole Vogelzangs
- Department of Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jacqueline M. Vink
- Department of Biological Psychology, VU University, Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Angela Wenzlaff
- Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
| | - William Wheeler
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Bao-Zhu Yang
- Departments of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Steven H. Aggen
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Anthony J. Balmforth
- LIGHT Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | | | - Terri H. Beaty
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Daniel J. Benjamin
- Department of Economics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Andrew W. Bergen
- Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, California, United States of America
| | - Ulla Broms
- Department of Public Health, Hjelt Institute, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - David Cesarini
- Department of Economics, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Nilanjan Chatterjee
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jingchun Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Yu-Ching Cheng
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Sven Cichon
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1); Structural and Functional Organization of the Brain Genomic Imaging; Department of Genomics, Life and Brain Center; Research Center Juelich, Juelich, Germany; Life and Brain Center and Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - David Couper
- Department of Psychiatry, Neurobiology, Pharmacology, and Biotechnology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesco Cucca
- Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica, CNR, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Danielle Dick
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Tatiana Foroud
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Helena Furberg
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Ina Giegling
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Munich (LMU), Munich, Germany
| | - Nathan A. Gillespie
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Fangyi Gu
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Alistair S. Hall
- LIGHT Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Jenni Hällfors
- Department of Public Health, Hjelt Institute, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Shizhong Han
- Departments of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | | | - Kauko Heikkilä
- Department of Public Health, Hjelt Institute, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ian B. Hickie
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jouke Jan Hottenga
- Department of Biological Psychology, VU University, Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Pekka Jousilahti
- Department of Chronic Disease Prevention, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Marika Kaakinen
- Institute of Health Sciences and Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Finland
| | - Mika Kähönen
- Department of Clinical Physiology, Tampere University Hospital and University of Tampere School of Medicine, Tampere, Finland
| | - Philipp D. Koellinger
- Department of Applied Economics, Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Stephen Kittner
- Department of Neurology, Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Bettina Konte
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Munich (LMU), Munich, Germany
| | - Maria-Teresa Landi
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Tiina Laatikainen
- Department of Chronic Disease Prevention, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mark Leppert
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Steven M. Levy
- Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry and Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Rasika A. Mathias
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Daniel W. McNeil
- Department of Psychology and Dental Practice and Rural Health, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America
| | - Sarah E. Medland
- Department of Epidemiology, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Grant W. Montgomery
- Department of Epidemiology, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Tanda Murray
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Matthias Nauck
- University Medicine Greifswald, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Kari E. North
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Peter D. Paré
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Michele Pergadia
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Ingo Ruczinski
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Veikko Salomaa
- Department of Chronic Disease Prevention, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jorma Viikari
- Department of Medicine, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Gonneke Willemsen
- Department of Biological Psychology, VU University, Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kathleen C. Barnes
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Eric Boerwinkle
- Human Genetics Center, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Dorret I. Boomsma
- Department of Biological Psychology, VU University, Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Neil Caporaso
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Howard J. Edenberg
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Clyde Francks
- Department of the MPI Psycholinguistics, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Joel Gelernter
- Departments of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Hans Jörgen Grabe
- University Medicine Greifswald, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Hyman Hops
- Oregon Research Institute, Eugene, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Marjo-Riitta Jarvelin
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, MRC Health Protection Agency (HPA) Centre for Environment and Health School of Public Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom; Institute of Health Sciences and Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Finland; Unit of Primary Care, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland; Department of Children and Young People and Families, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Oulu, Finland
| | - Magnus Johannesson
- Department of Economics, Stockholm School of Economics, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kenneth S. Kendler
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Terho Lehtimäki
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere University Hospital and University of Tampere School of Medicine, Tampere, Finland
| | - Patrik K.E. Magnusson
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mary L. Marazita
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Jonathan Marchini
- Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Braxton D. Mitchell
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Markus M. Nöthen
- Department of Genomics, Life and Brain Center, Life and Brain Center, Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Brenda W. Penninx
- Department of Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Olli Raitakari
- Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Turku University Hospital; Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Marcella Rietschel
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Clinical Faculty Mannheim / Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Dan Rujescu
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Munich (LMU), Munich, Germany
| | - Nilesh J. Samani
- Leicester NIHR Biomedical Research Unit in Cardiovascular Disease, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Ann G. Schwartz
- Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Sanjay Shete
- Department of Epidemiology, MD Anderson, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Margaret Spitz
- Department of Epidemiology, MD Anderson, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Gary E. Swan
- Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, California, United States of America
| | - Henry Völzke
- University Medicine Greifswald, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Juha Veijola
- Institute of Health Sciences and Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Finland
| | - Qingyi Wei
- Department of Epidemiology, MD Anderson, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Chris Amos
- Department of Epidemiology, MD Anderson, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Dale S. Cannon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Richard Grucza
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Dorothy Hatsukami
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Andrew Heath
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Eric O. Johnson
- Department of Behavioral Health Epidemiology, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Jaakko Kaprio
- Department of Public Health, Hjelt Institute, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Pamela Madden
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Nicholas G. Martin
- Department of Epidemiology, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Victoria L. Stevens
- Department of Epidemiology Research, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Robert B. Weiss
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Peter Kraft
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Laura J. Bierut
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Marissa A. Ehringer
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
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16
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Gaysina D, Fergusson DM, Leve LD, Horwood J, Reiss D, Shaw DS, Elam KK, Natsuaki MN, Neiderhiser JM, Harold GT. Maternal smoking during pregnancy and offspring conduct problems: evidence from 3 independent genetically sensitive research designs. JAMA Psychiatry 2013; 70:956-63. [PMID: 23884431 PMCID: PMC3828999 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Several studies report an association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and offspring conduct disorder. However, past research evidences difficulty in disaggregating prenatal environmental influences from genetic and postnatal environmental influences. OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship between maternal smoking during pregnancy and offspring conduct problems among children reared by genetically related mothers and genetically unrelated mothers. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS The following 3 studies using distinct but complementary research designs were used: The Christchurch Health and Development Study (a longitudinal cohort study that includes biological and adopted children), the Early Growth and Development Study (a longitudinal adoption-at-birth study), and the Cardiff IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) Study (an adoption-at-conception study among genetically related families and genetically unrelated families). Maternal smoking during pregnancy was measured as the mean number of cigarettes per day (0, 1-9, or 10) smoked during pregnancy. Possible covariates were controlled for in the analyses, including child sex, birth weight, race/ethnicity, placement age, and breastfeeding, as well as maternal education and maternal age at birth and family breakdown, parenting practices, and family socioeconomic status. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURE Offspring conduct problems (age range, 4-10 years) reported by parents or teachers using the behavior rating scales by Rutter and Conners, the Child Behavior Checklist and the Children's Behavior Questionnaire Short Form, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. RESULTS A significant association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and offspring conduct problems was observed among children reared by genetically related mothers and genetically unrelated mothers. Results from a meta-analysis affirmed this pattern of findings across pooled study samples. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Findings across 3 studies using a complement of genetically sensitive research designs suggest that smoking during pregnancy is a prenatal risk factor for offspring conduct problems when controlling for specific perinatal and postnatal confounding factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darya Gaysina
- School of Psychology, College of Medicine, Biological Sciences and Psychology, University of Leicester, UK.
| | - David M. Fergusson
- Christchurch Health & Development Study, Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.
| | | | - John Horwood
- Christchurch Health & Development Study, Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.
| | - David Reiss
- Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Daniel S. Shaw
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Kit K. Elam
- School of Psychology, College of Medicine, Biological Sciences and Psychology, University of Leicester, UK.
| | | | | | - Gordon T. Harold
- School of Psychology, College of Medicine, Biological Sciences and Psychology, University of Leicester, UK.
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17
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Flora AV, Zambrano CA, Gallego X, Miyamoto JH, Johnson KA, Cowan KA, Stitzel JA, Ehringer MA. Functional characterization of SNPs in CHRNA3/B4 intergenic region associated with drug behaviors. Brain Res 2013; 1529:1-15. [PMID: 23872218 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2013.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2013] [Revised: 07/08/2013] [Accepted: 07/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The cluster of human neuronal nicotinic receptor genes (CHRNA5/A3/B4) (15q25.1) has been associated with a variety of smoking and drug-related behaviors, as well as risk for lung cancer. CHRNA3/B4 intergenic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs1948 and rs8023462 have been associated with early initiation of alcohol and tobacco use, and rs6495309 has been associated with nicotine dependence and risk for lung cancer. An in vitro luciferase expression assay was used to determine whether these SNPs and surrounding sequences contribute to differences in gene expression using cell lines either expressing proteins characteristic of neuronal tissue or derived from lung cancers. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) were performed to investigate whether nuclear proteins from these cell lines bind SNP alleles differentially. Results from expression assays were dependent on cell culture type and haplotype. EMSAs indicated that rs8023462 and rs6495309 bind nuclear proteins in an allele-specific way. Additionally, GATA transcription factors appeared to bind rs8023462 only when the minor/risk allele was present. Much work has been done to describe the rat Chrnb4/a3 intergenic region, but few studies have examined the human intergenic region effects on expression; therefore, these studies greatly aid human genetic research as it relates to observed nicotine phenotypes, lung cancer risk and potential underlying genetic mechanisms. Data from these experiments support the hypothesis that SNPs associated with human addiction-related phenotypes and lung cancer risk can affect gene expression, and are potential therapeutic targets. Additionally, this is the first evidence that rs8023462 interacts with GATA transcription factors to influence gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber V Flora
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, 1480 30th Street, Boulder, CO 80303, USA.
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18
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Hendrickson LM, Guildford MJ, Tapper AR. Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors: common molecular substrates of nicotine and alcohol dependence. Front Psychiatry 2013; 4:29. [PMID: 23641218 PMCID: PMC3639424 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2013.00029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2013] [Accepted: 04/16/2013] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol and nicotine are often co-abused. As many as 80-95% of alcoholics are also smokers, suggesting that ethanol and nicotine, the primary addictive component of tobacco smoke, may functionally interact in the central nervous system and/or share a common mechanism of action. While nicotine initiates dependence by binding to and activating neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), ligand-gated cation channels normally activated by endogenous acetylcholine (ACh), ethanol is much less specific with the ability to modulate multiple gene products including those encoding voltage-gated ion channels, and excitatory/inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors. However, emerging data indicate that ethanol interacts with nAChRs, both directly and indirectly, in the mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic (DAergic) reward circuitry to affect brain reward systems. Like nicotine, ethanol activates DAergic neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) which project to the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Blockade of VTA nAChRs reduces ethanol-mediated activation of DAergic neurons, NAc DA release, consumption, and operant responding for ethanol in rodents. Thus, ethanol may increase ACh release into the VTA driving activation of DAergic neurons through nAChRs. In addition, ethanol potentiates distinct nAChR subtype responses to ACh and nicotine in vitro and in DAergic neurons. The smoking cessation therapeutic and nAChR partial agonist, varenicline, reduces alcohol consumption in heavy drinking smokers and rodent models of alcohol consumption. Finally, single nucleotide polymorphisms in nAChR subunit genes are associated with alcohol dependence phenotypes and smoking behaviors in human populations. Together, results from pre-clinical, clinical, and genetic studies indicate that nAChRs may have an inherent role in the abusive properties of ethanol, as well as in nicotine and alcohol co-dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linzy M Hendrickson
- Department of Psychiatry, Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester, MA, USA
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19
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Scherf DB, Sarkisyan N, Jacobsson H, Claus R, Bermejo JL, Peil B, Gu L, Muley T, Meister M, Dienemann H, Plass C, Risch A. Epigenetic screen identifies genotype-specific promoter DNA methylation and oncogenic potential of CHRNB4. Oncogene 2012; 32:3329-38. [PMID: 22945651 PMCID: PMC3710305 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2012.344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2012] [Revised: 05/21/2012] [Accepted: 06/20/2012] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies have highlighted three major lung cancer susceptibility regions at 15q25.1, 5p15.33 and 6p21.33. To gain insight into the possible mechanistic relevance of the genes in these regions, we investigated the regulation of candidate susceptibility gene expression by epigenetic alterations in healthy and lung tumor tissues. For genes up- or downregulated in lung tumors the influence of genetic variants on DNA methylation was investigated and in vitro studies were performed. We analyzed 394 CpG units within 19 CpG islands in the susceptibility regions in a screening set of 34 patients. Significant findings were validated in an independent patient set (n=50) with available DNA and RNA. The most consistent overall DNA methylation difference between tumor and adjacent normal tissue on 15q25 was tumor hypomethylation in the promoter region of CHRNB4 with a median difference of 8% (p<0.001) which resulted in overexpression of the transcript in tumors (p<0.001). Confirming previous studies we also found hypermethylation in CHRNA3 and TERT with significant expression changes. Decitabine treatment of H1299 cells resulted in reduced methylation levels in gene promoters, elevated transcript levels of CHRNB4 and CHRNA3 and a slight downregulation of TERT demonstrating epigenetic regulation of lung cancer cells. SNPs rs421629 on 5p15.33 and rs1948, rs660652, rs8040868 and rs2036527 on 15q25.1, previously identified as lung cancer risk or nicotine addiction modifiers were associated with tumor DNA methylation levels in the promoters of TERT and CHRNB4 (p<0.001) respectively in two independent sample sets (n=82; n=150). In addition, CHRNB4 knock down in two different cell lines (A549 and H1299) resulted in reduced proliferation (pA549<0.05;pH1299L<0.001) and propensity to form colonies in H1299 cells. These results suggest epigenetic deregulation of nicotinic acetylcholinereceptor subunit (nAChR) genes which in the case of CHRNB4 is strongly associated with genetic lung cancer susceptibility variants and a functional impact on tumorigenic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- D B Scherf
- Division of Epigenomics and Cancer Risk Factors (C010), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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20
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Lubke GH, Stephens SH, Lessem JM, Hewitt JK, Ehringer MA. The CHRNA5/A3/B4 gene cluster and tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, inhalants and other substance use initiation: replication and new findings using mixture analyses. Behav Genet 2012; 42:636-46. [PMID: 22382757 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-012-9529-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2011] [Accepted: 01/30/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Multiple studies have provided evidence for genetic associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located on the CHRNA5/A3/B4 gene cluster and various phenotypes related to Nicotine Dependence (Greenbaum et al. 2009). Only a few studies have investigated other substances of abuse. The current study has two aims, (1) to extend previous findings by focusing on associations between the CHRNA5/A3/B4 gene cluster and age of initiation of several different substances, and (2) to investigate heterogeneity in age of initiation across the different substances. All analyses were conducted with a subset of the Add Health study with available genetic data. The first aim was met by modeling onset of tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, inhalants, and other substance use using survival mixture analysis (SMA). Ten SNPs in CHRNA5/A3/B4 were used to predict phenotypic differences in the risk of onset, and differences between users and non-users. The survival models aim at investigating differences in the risk of initiation across the 5-18 age range for each phenotype separately. Significant or marginally significant genetic effects were found for all phenotypes. The genetic effects were mainly related to the risk of initiation and to a lesser extent to discriminating between users and non-users. To address the second goal, the survival analyses were complemented by a latent class analysis that modeled all phenotypes jointly. One of the ten SNPs was found to predict differences between the early and late onset classes. Taken together, our study provides evidence for a general role of the CHRNA5/A3/B4 gene cluster in substance use initiation that is not limited to nicotine and alcohol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gitta H Lubke
- Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, 118 Haggar Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
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