TNF-alpha polymorphisms are associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder

Author(s):Show less -

Hounie, Ana Gabriela ^[1] ; Cappi, Carolina ^[1] ; Cordeiro, Quirino ^[1] ; Sampaio, Aline Santos ^[1] ; Moraes, Ivanil ^[1] ; do Rosario, Maria Conceicao ^{[2, 1]} ; Palacios, Selma A. ^{[3, 4]} ; Goldberg, Anna Carla ^{[3, 4]} ; Vallada, Homero Pinto ^[1] ; Machado-Lima, Ariane ^[1] ; Nakano, Eduardo ^[1] ; Kalil, Jorge ^{[3, 4]} ; Pauls, David ^{[5, 6]} ; Pereira, Carlos Alberto B. ; Guilherme, Luiza ^{[3, 4]} ; Miguel, Euripedes Constantino ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Clin Hosp, Inst Psychiat, Dept Psychiat, BR-05508 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Psychiat, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Med, Heart Inst InCor, BR-05508 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Med, Dept Clin Med, BR-05508 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[5] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Math & Stat, BR-05508 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[6] Harvard Univ, Massachusetts Gen Hosp, Sch Med, Psychiat & Neurodev Genet Unit, Ctr Human Genet Res, Boston, MA - USA

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Neuroscience Letters; v. 442, n. 2, p. 86-90, SEP 12 2008.
• Web of Science Citations: 33

Abstract

Introduction: Several lines of evidence support an immunologic involvement in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): the increased prevalence of OCD in patients with rheumatic fever (RF), and the aggregation of obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders among relatives of RF probands. Tumor necrosis factor alpha is a proinflammatory cytokine involved in RF and other autoimmune diseases. Polymorphisms in the promoter region of the TNFA gene have been associated with RE Given the association between OCD and RF, the goal of the present study was to investigate a possible association between polymorphisms within the promoter region of TNFA and OCD. Materials and methods: Two polymorphisms were investigated: -308 G/A and -238 G/A. The allelic and genotypic frequencies of these polymorphisms were examined in 111 patients who fulfilled DSM-IV criteria for OCD and compared with the frequencies in 250 controls. Results: Significant associations were observed between both polymorphisms and OCD. For -238 G/A, an association between the A allele and OCD was observed (X-2 = 12.05, p = 0.0005). A significant association was also observed between the A allele of the -308 G/A polymorphism and OCD (X-2 = 7.09, p = 0.007). Finally, a haplotype consisting of genotypes of these two markers was also examined. Significant association was observed for the A-A haplotype (p = 0.0099 after correcting for multiple testing). Discussion: There is association between the -308 G/A and -238 G/A TNFA polymorphisms and OCD in our Brazilian sample. However, these results need to be replicated in larger samples collected from different populations. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 05/55628-8 - Phenotypic, genetic, immunological and neurobiological characterization of the obsessive compulsive disorder and its implications for treatment
• Grantee: Eurípedes Constantino Miguel Filho
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants