Relation of genetic variants of CYP2A6 with tobacco dependence and smoking habit in Chilean subjects. A pilot study

Background: Genetic and metabolic factors associated with nicotine metabolism may be related to smoking behavior. Aim: To assess the prevalence of allelic and genotype variants of CYP2A6 in a sample of Chilean subjects and to evaluate their relationship with smoking and tobacco dependence. Material and Methods: The genotype frequencies for *2, *3 and *4 of CYP2A6*1 (wild type) gene were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 54 volunteers. Addiction to tobacco was evaluated using the Fagerström Test. The association between the presence of allelic variants of CYP2A6 and smoking and tobacco dependence was evaluated with chi square test. Results: The prevalence of *1, *2 (wt/*2), *3 (wt/*3 or *3/*3) and *4 (del/del) were 92.6%, 3.7%, 0% y 3.7%, respectively. No signifi cant association was observed between being a carrier of a variant genotype of CYP2A6 and smoking or tobacco dependence. Conclusions: In this sample of Chilean individuals we did not fi nd a relation between any CYP2A6 genotype with smoking or tobacco dependence.Trabajo financiado por Proyecto Departamento de Investigación y Desarrollo (DID-2000)