Catechol-O-methyltransferase polymorphisms do not play a significant role in pain perception in male Chinese Han population

Physiol Genomics. 2012 Mar 1;44(5):318-28. doi: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00162.2011. Epub 2012 Jan 17.

Abstract

Polymorphisms in the human catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene have been widely studied for their role in pain and analgesia. In this study, sensitivity to potassium iontophoresis, visual analog scale measurements for fixed twofold pain threshold stimulation and pain threshold changes induced by transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) were assessed in a population of healthy Chinese males. These results were correlated with the alleles of six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) or diplotypes of common haplotypes designated as low pain sensitive, average pain sensitive, and high pain sensitive in the COMT gene of these subjects. Our results reveal that the alleles of each SNP are not significantly correlated with pain perception except for the rs4633 allele in the 2 Hz TEAS session (P < 0.05). In addition, the six diplotypes of COMT haplotypes, which cover 92.5% of the Chinese population, are also not correlated with pain perception. Moreover, there were no significant differences in pain threshold changes induced by 2 and 100 Hz TEAS among the diplotypes of each SNP or the various haplotypes. These results suggest that COMT activity do not play a significant role in pain perception and TEAS-induced analgesia in the Chinese Han male population.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Asian People / genetics*
  • Catechol O-Methyltransferase / genetics*
  • Catechol O-Methyltransferase / physiology
  • Electric Stimulation
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pain / ethnology
  • Pain / genetics*
  • Pain Perception* / physiology
  • Pain Threshold / ethnology
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / physiology*
  • Population Groups / genetics
  • Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Catechol O-Methyltransferase