Cytochrome P450 Drug Metabolizing Enzymes in Roma Population Samples: Systematic Review of the Literature

Taste and Food Preferences of the Hungarian Roma Population

Background: In Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe, the Roma population is the largest and the most vulnerable and disadvantaged minority. Behind their unfavorable health status, harmful health behaviors, such as unhealthy diet is also supposed to exist. Methods: In the framework of a complex health study, individuals from the Hungarian general (n = 410) and Roma populations (n = 387) were randomly selected. In the survey portion of the study, sweet, fat, salty, and bitter taste preferences were ascertained by question items measuring taste and food preferences. Preference for sweet vs. salty foods was also analyzed. Questions from the Hungarian version of the European Health Interview Survey were included, to characterize fruit and vegetable consumption and to determine the quantity of sugars added to consumed foods and beverages and the frequency of salting without tasting the food. Data were analyzed using STATA 9.0 statistical software. Results: Roma reported significantly less frequent consumption of fresh fruits (OR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.22-2.35, p = 0.002) and vegetables (OR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.25-2.41, p = 0.001) than the Hungarian subjects. Representatives of the Hungarian Roma population reported adding higher quantities of sugars to consumed foods and beverages (OR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.10-2.56, p = 0.016) and preferred sweet snacks vs. salty ones (OR = 0.53 for salty snacks, 95% CI: 0.37-0.78, p = 0.001) and had higher preferences for sweet foods (OR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.08-2.11, p = 0.015). They salted their food without tasting it more often (OR = 2.18, 95% CI: 1.64-2.88, p < 0.001). They had lower preferences for bitter tasting raw kohlrabi (OR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.41-0.80, p = 0.001), grapefruit (OR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.34-0.64, p < 0.001), black coffee (OR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.34-0.73, p < 0.001), and dark chocolate (OR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.46-0.84, p = 0.006). No significant results in terms of ethnicity were found on for fatty and salty food preference and other bitter-tasting vegetables. Conclusions: Roma diet may be linked to taste preferences predisposing to unhealthy eating habits. This assumption needs further studies on their dietary behavior. In order to design potentially effective intervention programs targeting Roma populations, it is essential to identify individual, environmental, social, cultural, and behavioral factors and as well as their complex interplay that may affect dietary intake and behaviors.

Five genetic polymorphisms of cytochrome P450 enzymes in the Czech non-Roma and Czech Roma population samples

Objectives Cytochromes P450 play a role in human drugs metabolic pathways and their genes are among the most variable in humans. The aim of this study was to analyze genotype frequencies of five common polymorphisms of cytochromes P450 in Roma/Gypsy and Czech (non-Roma) population samples with Czech origin. Methods Roma/Gypsy (n=302) and Czech subjects (n=298) were genotyped for CYP1A2 (rs762551), CYP2A6 (rs4105144), CYP2B6 (rs3745274) and CYP2D6 (rs3892097; rs1065852) polymorphisms using PCR-RFLP or Taqman assay. Results We found significant allelic/genotype differences between ethnics in three genes. For rs3745274 polymorphism, there was increased frequency of T allele carriers in Roma in comparison with Czech population (53.1 vs. 43.7%; p=0.02). For rs4105144 (CYP2A6) there was higher frequency of T allele carriers in Roma in comparison with Czech population (68.7 vs. 49.8%; p<0.0001). For rs3892097 (CYP2D6) there was more carriers of the A allele between Roma in comparison with Czech population (39.2 vs. 38.2%; p=0.048). Genotype/allelic frequencies of CYP2D6 (rs1065852) and CYP1A2 (rs762551) variants did not significantly differ between the ethnics. Conclusions There were significant differences in allelic/genotype frequencies of some, but not all cytochromes P450 polymorphisms between the Czech Roma/Gypsies and Czech non-Roma subjects.

Five genetic polymorphisms of cytochrome P450 enzymes in the Czech non-Roma and Czech Roma population samples

Objectives Cytochromes P450 play a role in human drugs metabolic pathways and their genes are among the most variable in humans. The aim of this study was to analyze genotype frequencies of five common polymorphisms of cytochromes P450 in Roma/Gypsy and Czech (non-Roma) population samples with Czech origin. Methods Roma/Gypsy (n=302) and Czech subjects (n=298) were genotyped for CYP1A2 (rs762551), CYP2A6 (rs4105144), CYP2B6 (rs3745274) and CYP2D6 (rs3892097; rs1065852) polymorphisms using PCR-RFLP or Taqman assay. Results We found significant allelic/genotype differences between ethnics in three genes. For rs3745274 polymorphism, there was increased frequency of T allele carriers in Roma in comparison with Czech population (53.1 vs. 43.7%; p=0.02). For rs4105144 (CYP2A6) there was higher frequency of T allele carriers in Roma in comparison with Czech population (68.7 vs. 49.8%; p<0.0001). For rs3892097 (CYP2D6) there was more carriers of the A allele between Roma in comparison with Czech population (39.2 vs. 38.2%; p=0.048). Genotype/allelic frequencies of CYP2D6 (rs1065852) and CYP1A2 (rs762551) variants did not significantly differ between the ethnics. Conclusions There were significant differences in allelic/genotype frequencies of some, but not all cytochromes P450 polymorphisms between the Czech Roma/Gypsies and Czech non-Roma subjects.

Association between CYP2B6 polymorphism and acute leukemia in a Han population of Northwest China

Background

The aim of this study was to investigate potential associations between CYP2B6 c.516G>T polymorphism and the occurrence and prognosis of acute leukemias (AL) in the Han population of Northwest China.

Methods

The CYP2B6 gene polymorphism was analyzed by PCR‐RFLP and Sanger DNA sequencing in 126 patients with AL and 161 healthy controls.

Results

Compared with controls, there were significantly higher frequencies of GT and TT genotypes and T alleles in AL patients (p < .05), particularly in fusion gene‐positive AL patients. There was no significant difference in CYP2B6 polymorphic genotypes and T alleles between AL patients with complete remission after the first course of chemotherapy and controls (p > .05), while the frequencies in AL patients with partial remission and no remission were significantly higher. The CYP2B6 allele frequency in Han Chinese in Northwest China was significantly different to that reported in Han Chinese and other ethnic minorities in southern China, Uygur Chinese, Vietnamese, African, German, British, Spanish, Turkish, and Argentinian populations; however, there was no significant difference compared with allele frequencies reported in Tibetan and Mongolian Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and American populations.

Conclusion

Our findings show a strong correlation of the CYP2B6 c.516G>T polymorphism in the Han population of Northwest China with AL, especially fusion gene‐positive AL, and indicate a poor prognosis after the first course of chemotherapy. Our findings also implicate the T allele in AL susceptibility and indicate the existence of racial and geographical differences in allele frequencies of CYP2B6 c.516G>T polymorphism.

Pharmacogenetic relevant polymorphisms of CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, and CYP3A5 in Bhutanese population

Background Marked differences among genotype frequencies (Caucasians, Asians, and Africans) have been observed in cytochrome P450 (CYP) genes. Data on the frequency of pharmacogenetic relevant polymorphisms in Bhutanese population is absent. This study aimed to investigate the frequencies of pharmacogenetic relevant polymorphisms of CYP2C9 (*2 and *3), CYP2C19 (*2 and *3), CYP2D6 (*10), and CYP3A5 (*3) in Bhutanese population. Methods Genotyping was performed in 443 DNA samples using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results For CYP2C9, allele frequencies of *2 and *3 variants were 0.339% and 0%, respectively. For CYP2C19, frequencies of *2 and *3 variants were 30.135% and 15.689%, respectively. Allele frequencies of CYP2D6*10 and CYP3A5*3 were 21.332% and 77.314%, respectively. Allele frequencies of CYP2C9*2 are similar to most Asians while CYP2C9*3 was absent. CYP2C19*2 showed a close resemblance to Japanese and Burmese, while CYP2C19*3 is near to Japanese and Korean. CYP2D6*10 is noticeably lower than other Asians. CYP3A5*3 is similar to East Asians (Chinese, Japanese, and Korean). Conclusions The Bhutanese population is polymorphic for these CYP genes, except for CYP2C9*3. Similar to other populations, genetic testing for these genes may, therefore, be helpful to obtain the benefit from pharmacological treatments and prevent adverse drug reactions.

Distribution of ADH1B genotypes predisposed to enhanced alcohol consumption in the Czech Roma/Gypsy population

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to analyse the frequencies of rs1229984 genotypes within the alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH1B) gene in a Gypsies/Roma population and compare them with other populations and with ethanol consumption.

METHODS

We analysed the ADH1B (rs1229984; Arg47→His; c.143G>A) genotype using the Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in two ethnically different groups - Gypsies/Roma (N = 301) and Czechs (N = 300) where one day alcohol consumption was recorded.

RESULTS

ADH1B genotype/allelic frequencies did not significantly differ between the populations (p = 0.32). The frequency of minor A allele carriers was slightly higher in Gypsies/Roma (14.7%) than in Czechs (11.9%). The prevalence of subjects reporting alcohol intake on the previous day was non-significantly lower in Gypsies/Roma (10.5% vs. 16.4%), as was the amount of alcohol consumed the day before the examination in ethanol consumers (36.1 ± 18.3 g vs. 43.0 ± 27.2 g).

CONCLUSIONS

The frequency of rs1229984 genotypes in the ADH1B gene within the Gypsies/Roma population corresponds with frequencies obtained in North India/Central Asia, the putative country of this ethnic origin. Our results suggest that the minority Gypsies/Roma population consume slightly less alcohol than the Czech majority population.