TY - JOUR

T1 - Genetic susceptibility factors for multiple chemical sensitivity revisited

AU - Berg, Nikolaj Drimer

AU - Rasmussen, Henrik Berg

AU - Linneberg, Allan

AU - Andersen, Charlotte Brasch

AU - Fenger, Mogens

AU - Dirksen, Asger

AU - Vesterhauge, Søren

AU - Werge, Thomas

AU - Elberling, Jesper

AU - Berg, Nikolaj Drimer

N1 - Copyright 2010 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

PY - 2010/3/1

Y1 - 2010/3/1

N2 - Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is characterised by adverse effects due to exposure to low levels of chemical substances. Various genes, especially genes of importance to the metabolism of xenobiotic compounds, have been associated with MCS, but findings are inconsistent. The purpose of this study was to investigate genetic susceptibility factors for MCS and self-reported chemical sensitivity in a population sample. Ninety six MCS patients and 1,207 controls from a general population divided into four severity groups of chemical sensitivity were genotyped for variants in the genes encoding cytochrome P450 2D6, arylamine N-acetyltransferase 2, paraoxonase 1, methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase, and the cholecystokinin 2 receptor. No hypotheses were consistently confirmed. An apparent association between number of active cytochrome P450 2D6 alleles and MCS status was not statistically significant (OR=1.2, p=0.28). Fast arylamine N-acetyltransferase 2 metaboliser status was associated with severity of chemical sensitivity only in the most severely affected group in the population sample (OR=3.1, p=0.04). The cholecystokinin 2 receptor allele with 21 CT repeats was associated with MCS when compared in post hoc analyses with all individuals from the population sample (p=0.02). Genetic variants in paraoxonase 1 and methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase were not associated with MSC or with self-reported chemical sensitivity in the population sample. Our results suggest that variants in the genes examined are of less importance to MCS than previously reported or that gene-environment interactions or significant degrees of genetic heterogeneity in MCS underlie inconsistent findings in the literature.

AB - Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is characterised by adverse effects due to exposure to low levels of chemical substances. Various genes, especially genes of importance to the metabolism of xenobiotic compounds, have been associated with MCS, but findings are inconsistent. The purpose of this study was to investigate genetic susceptibility factors for MCS and self-reported chemical sensitivity in a population sample. Ninety six MCS patients and 1,207 controls from a general population divided into four severity groups of chemical sensitivity were genotyped for variants in the genes encoding cytochrome P450 2D6, arylamine N-acetyltransferase 2, paraoxonase 1, methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase, and the cholecystokinin 2 receptor. No hypotheses were consistently confirmed. An apparent association between number of active cytochrome P450 2D6 alleles and MCS status was not statistically significant (OR=1.2, p=0.28). Fast arylamine N-acetyltransferase 2 metaboliser status was associated with severity of chemical sensitivity only in the most severely affected group in the population sample (OR=3.1, p=0.04). The cholecystokinin 2 receptor allele with 21 CT repeats was associated with MCS when compared in post hoc analyses with all individuals from the population sample (p=0.02). Genetic variants in paraoxonase 1 and methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase were not associated with MSC or with self-reported chemical sensitivity in the population sample. Our results suggest that variants in the genes examined are of less importance to MCS than previously reported or that gene-environment interactions or significant degrees of genetic heterogeneity in MCS underlie inconsistent findings in the literature.

U2 - 10.1016/j.ijheh.2010.02.001

DO - 10.1016/j.ijheh.2010.02.001

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 20185366

VL - 213

SP - 131

EP - 139

JO - International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health

JF - International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health

SN - 1438-4639

IS - 2

ER -