Genetic test tells which smokers become addicted

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1. Data: 2000-10-25 18:16:46

Temat: Genetic test tells which smokers become addicted
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The Independent UK 00-10-24

Genetic test tells which smokers become
addicted

By Roger Dobson

24 October 2000

Scientists have discovered that genes
determine how many
cigarettes people smoke each day, and
who will become
addicted.

A new genetic test for tobacco
addiction based on the work by
the British researchers could now
revolutionise the success
rate for anti-smoking therapies. Those
who want to give up
would be able to choose a treatment
that would work for them.
Instead of trying different drugs,
patches and other therapies,
doctors could use a smoker's DNA to
match him or her with
the treatment likely to be most
successful.

Results of research involving more than
800 smokers are to
be published shortly and will show the
test was able to predict
accurately which of them would give up
the habit when they
used a nicotine patch.

The test has been developed by
researchers at Oxford
University who have found a link
between the way the body
metabolises dopamine (a
neurotransmitter) and nicotine and
the likelihood of an individual being a
smoker. "It seems that
people whose genes determine they are
slow metabolisers
are likely to be protected from
addiction to smoking," says Dr
Robert Walton, a lecturer at the
university and a member of the
research team. "If the effects of
nicotine are metabolised
slowly and last for 12 hours or so,
there is not going to be the
craving for another cigarette.

"We have shown that genetic variation
in enzymes which
metabolise dopamine in the brain are
important in
determining the amount of tobacco that
smokers consume. It
is the first study to demonstrate this
link."

The team has found that people with
different genetic
mutations of the enzymes smoke a
different number of
cigarettes a day. It has also found
different genetic
mechanisms at work in men and women
smokers. The
researchers believe heavy smokers have
genetic variations
that reduce natural dopamine activity.
The individual is
addicted to smoking heavily because
nicotine from the
cigarettes restores the brain's
dopamine levels to normal.

The team reckons about 20 genes may be
involved in the
smoking process, half dealing with the
nicotine
metabolisation, the other with
dopamine. "Our new data will
show we can predict whether people will
stop smoking using
a nicotine patch," says Dr Walton. "The
patch is the best way to
give up smoking but the success rate is
only 20 per cent.

"The test is designed to predict which
people will benefit from
the different therapies. People who
metabolise nicotine
quickly may respond best to a nicotine
patch. Those who
met-abolise nicotine very rapidly may
need a higher
replacement dose than slow
metabolisers." Others may
respond better to dopamine
therapyinvolving buproprion, or to
behaviour therapy. "Using genotyping to
target the most
appropriate treatment for the smoker
could lead to more
effective treatment for tobacco
addiction."
[end]

Miro

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