Pharmacogenetics of catechol-O-methyltransferase: frequency of low activity allele in a Ghanaian population.

M M Ameyaw, A C Syvänen, I Ulmanen, D Ofori-Adjei, H L McLeod

Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK.

Human mutation 2000 Nov

filter terms:

Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) catalyses the O-methylation of neurotransmitters, catechol hormones and drugs such as levodopa and methyldopa. Ethnic differences in COMT activity have been observed in several populations. Previous studies suggest that the g1947G>A low activity allele is less common in individuals of African origin. COMT genotyping was performed using a mini-sequencing method in 195 healthy Ghanaians with a frequency of the homozygous g1947G>A of 6%. This study provides confirmation that the low activity COMT allele is less common in individuals of African origin. This finding may be important clinically with regards to the treatment of many neuropsychiatric disorders and in the pathophysiology of various human disorders including estrogen-induced cancers, Parkinson's disease, depression and hypertension. Copyright 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Citation

M M Ameyaw, A C Syvänen, I Ulmanen, D Ofori-Adjei, H L McLeod. Pharmacogenetics of catechol-O-methyltransferase: frequency of low activity allele in a Ghanaian population. Human mutation. 2000 Nov;16(5):445-6