Abstract
Opioid addiction is a chronic disease with high genetic contribution and a large inter-individual variability in therapeutic response. The goal of this study was to identify pharmacodynamic factors that modulate methadone dose requirement. The neurotrophin family is involved in neural plasticity, learning, memory and behavior and deregulated neural plasticity may underlie the pathophysiology of drug addiction. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was shown to affect the response to methadone maintenance treatment. This study explores the effects of polymorphisms in the nerve growth factor (β polypeptide) gene, NGFB, on the methadone doses required for successful maintenance treatment for heroin addiction. Genotypes of 14 NGFB polymorphisms were analyzed for association with the stabilizing methadone dose in 72 former severe heroin addicts with no major co-medications. There was significant difference in methadone doses required by subjects with different genotypes of the NGFB intronic single-nucleotide polymorphism rs2239622 (P=0.0002). These results may have clinical importance.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 6 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $43.17 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Kreek MJ . Methadone-related opioid agonist pharmacotherapy for heroin addiction. History, recent molecular and neurochemical research and future in mainstream medicine. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2000; 909: 186–216.
Kendler KS, Jacobson KC, Prescott CA, Neale MC . Specificity of genetic and environmental risk factors for use and abuse/dependence of cannabis, cocaine, hallucinogens, sedatives, stimulants, and opiates in male twins. Am J Psychiatry 2003; 160: 687–695.
Tsuang MT, Lyons MJ, Meyer JM, Doyle T, Eisen SA, Goldberg J et al. Co-occurrence of abuse of different drugs in men: the role of drug-specific and shared vulnerabilities. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1998; 55: 967–972.
Tsuang MT, Lyons MJ, Eisen SA, Goldberg J, True W, Lin N et al. Genetic influences on DSM-III-R drug abuse and dependence: a study of 3,372 twin pairs. Am J Med Genet 1996; 67: 473–477.
Amato L, Davoli M, Perucci CA, Ferri M, Faggiano F, Mattick RP . An overview of systematic reviews of the effectiveness of opiate maintenance therapies: available evidence to inform clinical practice and research. J Subst Abuse Treat 2005; 28: 321–329.
Kreek MJ, LaForge KS, Butelman E . Pharmacotherapy of addictions. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2002; 1: 710–726.
Kreek MJ, Vocci FJ . History and current status of opioid maintenance treatments: blending conference session. J Subst Abuse Treat 2002; 23: 93–105.
Zhou SF, Liu JP, Chowbay B . Polymorphism of human cytochrome P450 enzymes and its clinical impact. Drug Metab Rev 2009; 41: 89–295.
Li Y, Kantelip JP, Gerritsen-van Schieveen P, Davani S . Interindividual variability of methadone response: impact of genetic polymorphism. Mol Diagn Ther 2008; 12: 109–124.
Chao MV, Rajagopal R, Lee FS . Neurotrophin signalling in health and disease. Clin Sci (Lond) 2006; 110: 167–173.
Carvalho AL, Caldeira MV, Santos SD, Duarte CB . Role of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor at glutamatergic synapses. Br J Pharmacol 2008; 153 (Suppl 1): S310–S324.
Bolanos CA, Nestler EJ . Neurotrophic mechanisms in drug addiction. Neuromolecular Med 2004; 5: 69–83.
Lang UE, Hellweg R, Kalus P, Bajbouj M, Lenzen KP, Sander T et al. Association of a functional BDNF polymorphism and anxiety-related personality traits. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2005; 180: 95–99.
Uhl GR, Liu QR, Walther D, Hess J, Naiman D . Polysubstance abuse-vulnerability genes: genome scans for association, using 1,004 subjects and 1,494 single-nucleotide polymorphisms. Am J Hum Genet 2001; 69: 1290–1300.
Cheng CY, Hong CJ, Yu YW, Chen TJ, Wu HC, Tsai SJ . Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Val66Met) genetic polymorphism is associated with substance abuse in males. Brain Res Mol Brain Res 2005; 140: 86–90.
de Cid R, Fonseca F, Gratacos M, Gutierrez F, Martin-Santos R, Estivill X et al. BDNF variability in opioid addicts and response to methadone treatment: preliminary findings. Genes Brain Behav 2008; 7: 515–522.
Berton O, McClung CA, Dileone RJ, Krishnan V, Renthal W, Russo SJ et al. Essential role of BDNF in the mesolimbic dopamine pathway in social defeat stress. Science 2006; 311: 864–868.
Einarsdottir E, Carlsson A, Minde J, Toolanen G, Svensson O, Solders G et al. A mutation in the nerve growth factor beta gene (NGFB) causes loss of pain perception. Hum Mol Genet 2004; 13: 799–805.
Larsson E, Kuma R, Norberg A, Minde J, Holmberg M . Nerve growth factor R221W responsible for insensitivity to pain is defectively processed and accumulates as proNGF. Neurobiol Dis 2009; 33: 221–228.
Fitzgibbon GJ, Kingston H, Needham M, Gaunt L . Haploinsufficiency of the nerve growth factor beta gene in a 1p13 deleted female child with an insensitivity to pain. Dev Med Child Neurol 2009; 51: 833–837.
Lang UE, Hellweg R, Bajbouj M, Gaus V, Sander T, Gallinat J . Gender-dependent association of a functional NGF polymorphism with anxiety-related personality traits. Pharmacopsychiatry 2008; 41: 196–199.
Akbarian S, Bates B, Liu RJ, Skirboll SL, Pejchal T, Coppola V et al. Neurotrophin-3 modulates noradrenergic neuron function and opiate withdrawal. Mol Psychiatry 2001; 6: 593–604.
Levran O, Londono D, O′Hara K, Nielsen DA, Peles E, Rotrosen J et al. Genetic susceptibility to heroin addiction: a candidate gene association study. Genes Brain Behav 2008; 7: 720–729.
Levran O, Londono D, O′Hara K, Randesi M, Rotrosen J, Casadonte P et al. Heroin addiction in African Americans: a hypothesis-driven association study. Genes Brain Behav 2009; 8: 531–540.
Adelson M, Peles E, Bodner G, Kreek MJ . Correlation between high methadone doses and methadone serum levels in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) patients. J Addict Dis 2007; 26: 15–26.
Hodgkinson CA, Yuan Q, Xu K, Shen PH, Heinz E, Lobos EA et al. Addictions biology: haplotype-based analysis for 130 candidate genes on a single array. Alcohol Alcohol 2008; 43: 505–515.
Enoch MA, Shen PH, Xu K, Hodgkinson C, Goldman D . Using ancestry-informative markers to define populations and detect population stratification. J Psychopharmacol 2006; 20: 19–26.
Pritchard JK, Stephens M, Donnelly P . Inference of population structure using multilocus genotype data. Genetics 2000; 155: 945–959.
Barrett JC, Fry B, Maller J, Daly MJ . Haploview: analysis and visualization of LD and haplotype maps. Bioinformatics 2005; 21: 263–265.
Levran O, O′Hara K, Peles E, Li D, Barral S, Ray B et al. ABCB1 (MDR1) genetic variants are associated with methadone doses required for effective treatment of heroin dependence. Hum Mol Genet 2008; 17: 2219–2227.
McClung CA, Nestler EJ . Neuroplasticity mediated by altered gene expression. Neuropsychopharmacology 2008; 33: 3–17.
Fahnestock M, Michalski B, Xu B, Coughlin MD . The precursor pro-nerve growth factor is the predominant form of nerve growth factor in brain and is increased in Alzheimer′s disease. Mol Cell Neurosci 2001; 18: 210–220.
Pezet S, McMahon SB . Neurotrophins: mediators and modulators of pain. Annu Rev Neurosci 2006; 29: 507–538.
Fiore M, Chaldakov GN, Aloe L . Nerve growth factor as a signaling molecule for nerve cells and also for the neuroendocrine-immune systems. Rev Neurosci 2009; 20: 133–145.
Bie B, Zhang Z, Cai YQ, Zhu W, Zhang Y, Dai J et al. Nerve growth factor-regulated emergence of functional delta-opioid receptors. J Neurosci 2010; 30: 5617–5628.
Narita M, Kuzumaki N, Miyatake M, Sato F, Wachi H, Seyama Y et al. Role of delta-opioid receptor function in neurogenesis and neuroprotection. J Neurochem 2006; 97: 1494–1505.
Kieffer BL, Gaveriaux-Ruff C . Exploring the opioid system by gene knockout. Prog Neurobiol 2002; 66: 285–306.
Chen YL, Monteith N, Law PY, Loh HH . Dynamic association of p300 with the promoter of the G protein-coupled rat delta opioid receptor gene during NGF-induced neuronal differentiation. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2010; 396: 294–298.
Chen YL, Law PY, Loh HH . Action of NF-kappaB on the delta opioid receptor gene promoter. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2007; 352: 818–822.
Wu VW, Mo Q, Yabe T, Schwartz JP, Robinson SE . Perinatal opioids reduce striatal nerve growth factor content in rat striatum. Eur J Pharmacol 2001; 414: 211–214.
Yoon SJ, Roh S, Lee H, Lee JY, Lee BH, Kim YK et al. Possible role of nerve growth factor in the pathogenesis of alcohol dependence. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2006; 30: 1060–1065.
Doehring A, Hentig N, Graff J, Salamat S, Schmidt M, Geisslinger G et al. Genetic variants altering dopamine D2 receptor expression or function modulate the risk of opiate addiction and the dosage requirements of methadone substitution. Pharmacogenet Genomics 2009; 19: 407–414.
Crettol S, Besson J, Croquette-Krokar M, Hammig R, Gothuey I, Monnat M et al. Association of dopamine and opioid receptor genetic polymorphisms with response to methadone maintenance treatment. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2008; 32: 1722–1727.
Lawford BR, Young RM, Noble EP, Sargent J, Rowell J, Shadforth S et al. The D(2) dopamine receptor A(1) allele and opioid dependence: association with heroin use and response to methadone treatment. Am J Med Genet 2000; 96: 592–598.
Lotsch J, Skarke C, Wieting J, Oertel BG, Schmidt H, Brockmoller J et al. Modulation of the central nervous effects of levomethadone by genetic polymorphisms potentially affecting its metabolism, distribution, and drug action. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2006; 79: 72–89.
Crettol S, Deglon JJ, Besson J, Croquette-Krokar M, Hammig R, Gothuey I et al. ABCB1 and cytochrome P450 genotypes and phenotypes: influence on methadone plasma levels and response to treatment. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2006; 80: 668–681.
Coller JK, Barratt DT, Dahlen K, Loennechen MH, Somogyi AA . ABCB1 genetic variability and methadone dosage requirements in opioid-dependent individuals. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2006; 80: 682–690.
Fonseca F, Gratacos M, Escaramis G, De Cid R, Martin-Santos R, Fernandez-Espejo E et al. Response to methadone maintenance treatment is associated with the MYOCD and GRM6 genes. Mol Diagn Ther 2010; 14: 171–178.
Barratt DT, Coller JK, Somogyi AA . Association between the DRD2 A1 allele and response to methadone and buprenorphine maintenance treatments. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2006; 141: 323–331.
Lotsch J, Pruss H, Veh RW, Doehring A . A KCNJ6 (Kir3.2, GIRK2) gene polymorphism modulates opioid effects on analgesia and addiction but not on pupil size. Pharmacogenet Genomics 2010; 20: 291–297.
Mercader JM, Saus E, Aguera Z, Bayes M, Boni C, Carreras A et al. Association of NTRK3 and its interaction with NGF suggest an altered cross-regulation of the neurotrophin signaling pathway in eating disorders. Hum Mol Genet 2008; 17: 1234–1244.
Kharasch ED, Bedynek PS, Walker A, Whittington D, Hoffer C . Mechanism of ritonavir changes in methadone pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics: II. Ritonavir effects on CYP 3A and P glycoprotein activities. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2008; 84: 506–512.
McCance-Katz EF, Sullivan LE, Nallani S . Drug interactions of clinical importance among the opioids, methadone and buprenorphine, and other frequently prescribed medications: a review. Am J Addict 2010; 19: 4–16.
Need AC, Kasperaviciute D, Cirulli ET, Goldstein DB . A genome-wide genetic signature of Jewish ancestry perfectly separates individuals with and without full Jewish ancestry in a large random sample of European Americans. Genome Biol 2009; 10: R7.
Behar DM, Yunusbayev B, Metspalu M, Metspalu E, Rosset S, Parik J et al. The genome-wide structure of the Jewish people. Nature 2010; 466: 238–242.
Acknowledgements
We thank and acknowledge the contributions of Pei-Hong Shen, Dr David Goldman, Dr Ann Ho, Susan Russo and Anat Sason. This work was supported in part by NIDA-P60-05130 (MJK) and the Dr Miriam and Sheldon G Adelson Medical Research Foundation.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Supplementary Information accompanies the paper on the The Pharmacogenomics Journal website
Supplementary information
PowerPoint slides
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Levran, O., Peles, E., Hamon, S. et al. Nerve growth factor β polypeptide (NGFB) genetic variability: association with the methadone dose required for effective maintenance treatment. Pharmacogenomics J 12, 319–327 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/tpj.2011.6
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/tpj.2011.6
Keywords
This article is cited by
-
NGF (−198C > T, Ala35Val) and p75NTR (Ser205Leu) gene mutations are associated with liver function in different histopathological profiles of the patients with chronic viral hepatitis in the Brazilian Amazon
Molecular Medicine (2020)
-
Pharmacogenetics of Methadone Response
Molecular Diagnosis & Therapy (2018)