Genetic and methylation variation in the CYP2B6 gene is related to circulating p,p'-dde levels in a population-based sample.

Lind L, Ng E, Ingelsson E, Lindgren C, Salihovic S, van Bavel B, Mahajan A, Lampa E, Morris AP, Lind PM

Environ Int 98 (-) 212-218 [2017-01-00; online 2016-11-15]

Since the metabolism of the organochlorine pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is not fully known in humans, we evaluated if circulating levels of a major breakdown product of DDT, p,p'-DDE, were related to genome-wide genetic and methylation variation in a population-based sample. In the population-based Prospective Investigation of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors (PIVUS) study (1016 subjects all aged 70), circulating levels of p,p'-DDE were analyzed by high-resolution chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS). Genetic variants were genotyped and imputed (1000 Genomes reference, March 2012 release). Methylation sites were assayed using the Illumina HumanMethylation450 array in whole blood. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) approach was applied. Evidence for genome-wide significant association with p,p'-DDE levels was observed only for a locus at chromosome 19 corresponding to the CYP2B6 gene (lead SNP rs7260538). Subjects being homozygote for the G allele showed a median level of 472ng/g lipid, while the corresponding level for those being homozygote for the T allele was 192ng/g lipid (p=1.5×10(-31)). An analysis conditioned on the lead SNP disclosed a distinct signal in the same gene (rs7255374, position chr19:41520351; p=2.2×10(-8)). A whole-genome methylation analysis showed one significant relationship vs. p,p'-DDE levels (p=6.2×10(-9)) located 7kb downstream the CYP2B6 gene (cg27089200, position chr19:41531976). This CpG-site was also related to the lead SNP (p=3.8×10(-35)), but mediated only 4% of the effect of the lead SNP on p,p'-DDE levels. Circulating levels of p,p'-DDE were related to genetic variation in the CYP2B6 gene in the general elderly population. DNA methylation in this gene is not closely linked to the p,p'-DDE levels.

Bioinformatics Support for Computational Resources [Service]

NGI Uppsala (SNP&SEQ Technology Platform) [Service]

National Genomics Infrastructure [Service]

PubMed 27839851

DOI 10.1016/j.envint.2016.11.010

Crossref 10.1016/j.envint.2016.11.010

pii: S0160-4120(16)30761-9
pmc: PMC5152752