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A mu opioid receptor gene polymorphism (A118G) and naltrexone treatment response in adherent Korean alcohol-dependent patients

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Abstract

Rationale

Previous studies have demonstrated an association between genetic polymorphisms of the μ opioid receptor gene (OPRM1) and response to naltrexone treatment. The Asp40 variant genotype previously shown to be associated with naltrexone treatment response is known to be relatively common among Koreans.

Objectives

This study was conducted to prospectively investigate the relationship between genotype and response to open-label naltrexone treatment in Korean alcohol-dependent subjects.

Materials and methods

Sixty-three alcohol-dependent subjects were prescribed naltrexone for 12 weeks in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy. Thirty-two subjects were adherent, taking the medication at least 80% of the treatment days [16 Asn40 (A/A) patients and 16 Asp40 variant (A/G or G/G) patients].

Results

Subjects adherent to naltrexone treatment with one or two copies of the Asp40 allele took a significantly longer time than the Asn40 group to relapse (p = 0.014). Although not significant, the Asn40 group treated with naltrexone had a 10.6 times greater relapse rate than the Asp40 variant group. There was no significant difference between the Asn40 group and the Asp40 variant group treated with naltrexone in rates of abstinence.

Conclusions

These results demonstrating a higher therapeutic effect of naltrexone in Korean alcohol-dependent individuals with the Asp40 variant genotype than the Asn40 genotype are consistent with previous study results in individuals of European descent. This is the first study to examine the pharmacogenetics treatment response to naltrexone in non-European subjects.

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Acknowledgment

This work was supported by Je-il Pharmaceutical Co., Seoul, South Korea.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, 1-ga 10, Ami-dong, Seo-gu, Pusan, 602-739, South Korea

    Sung-Gon Kim

  2. Haein Hospital, Yang-San, South Korea

    Cheol-Min Kim

  3. Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Ulsan, South Korea

    Sam-Wook Choi

  4. Department of Psychiatry, Bongseng Memorial Hospital, Pusan, South Korea

    Young-Myo Jae

  5. Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, The Catholic University, Seoul, South Korea

    Hae-Gook Lee

  6. Department of Psychiatry, Hallym University Medical Center, Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, Chuncheon, South Korea

    Bong-Ki Son

  7. Department of Psychiatry, Maryknoll General Hospital, Pusan, South Korea

    Jeong-Gee Kim

  8. St. Andrew’s Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Icheon, South Korea

    Young-Sung Choi

  9. Keyo Medical Foundation, Keyo Hospital, Uiwang, South Korea

    Han-Oh Kim

  10. Division of Management Information Science, Dong-A University, Pusan, South Korea

    Seong-Yeon Kim

  11. Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia VA Medical Center and VISN 4 MIRECC, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    David W. Oslin

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  1. Sung-Gon Kim
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Correspondence to Sung-Gon Kim.

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Kim, SG., Kim, CM., Choi, SW. et al. A mu opioid receptor gene polymorphism (A118G) and naltrexone treatment response in adherent Korean alcohol-dependent patients. Psychopharmacology 201, 611–618 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-008-1330-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-008-1330-5

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