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Analysis of association of ADORA2A and ADORA3 polymorphisms genotypes/haplotypes with efficacy and toxicity of methotrexate in patients with Rheumatoid arthritis

The Pharmacogenomics Journal volume 20, pages 784–791 (2020)Cite this article

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Abstract

Adenosine receptors ADORA2A and ADORA3 are part of the adenosine-mediated antiinflammatory pathway and are overexpressed in patients with Rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methotrexate (MTX) antiinflammatory effects are partially mediated via increased release of adenosine into extracellular space. Polymorphisms in ADORA2A and ADORA3 genes may have an impact on the efficacy and toxicity of MTX in RA patients. The study included 127 RA patients. Treatment efficacy was estimated using the changes in Disease activity score (DAS28) after 6 months of MTX monotherapy, according to EULAR response criteria. Patients with good and moderate response were classified as “responders”, and with a poor response as “nonresponders”. Adverse effects were collected during the follow-up period. Genotyping for polymorphisms within ADORA2A gene (rs2298383, rs2236624, rs5751876, rs17004921) and ADORA3 gene (rs2298191, rs1544223, rs3393) was performed using the KASPar assays. Among patients 112 (88.19%) were responders (18.8% good, 81.2% moderate). We observed no association between analyzed genotypes or alleles and MTX response by EULAR criteria but carriers of ADORA2A rs17004921 T allele (CT + TT) had a higher DAS28 decrease after 6 months of treatment than patients with CC genotype (p = 0.013). Adverse effects were reported in 31 patients (24.41%). Bone erosions were present in 82 (64.6%) patients. Haplotype block was observed among all 3 analyzed polymorphisms within ADORA3 gene and TAA haplotype was associated with bone erosions (29% vs 15.6%, p = 0.023) and hepatotoxicity (51.3% vs 21.6%, p = 0.013). According to our study, ADORA3 TAA haplotype may be associated with bone erosions and hepatotoxicity in RA patients treated with MTX.

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Fig. 1: Linkage disequilibrium plots with D’ values (given in percentages) among analyzed polymorphisms in adenosine receptor genes for patients with RA.

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  • 30 May 2020

    A colour version of Figure 1 in the Online PDF was replaced with a black and white version as per the authors original intent.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Slovenian Research Agency, grant no. P1-0170 and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia [grant no. 175091].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Human Genetics, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Medicine, Visegradska 26a, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia

    Milka Grk, Nela Maksimovic, Tatjana Damnjanovic, Marija Dusanovic Pjevic, Milica Pesic, Ivana Novakovic & Biljana Jekic

  2. Institute of Rheumatology, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Medicine, Resavska 69, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia

    Vera Milic

  3. University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry, Pharmacogenetics Laboratory, Vrazov trg 2, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Vita Dolzan

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Grk, M., Milic, V., Dolzan, V. et al. Analysis of association of ADORA2A and ADORA3 polymorphisms genotypes/haplotypes with efficacy and toxicity of methotrexate in patients with Rheumatoid arthritis. Pharmacogenomics J 20, 784–791 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41397-020-0168-z

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