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Cannabinoid CB2 Receptor Functional Variation (Q63R) Is Associated with Multiple Sclerosis in Iranian Subjects

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Abstract

The cannabinoid system has been identified as a critical endogenous regulator of immune homeostasis through immunomodulatory actions. This system is one of the main regulatory systems of the central nervous system (CNS). Variations in the cannabinoid CB2 receptor gene (CNR2) could affect intracellular signaling and reduce system function, which has been associated with an unbalanced immune response and increased risk of a variety of autoimmune inflammatory disorders. The present study investigated the relationship between CNR2 rs35761398 (Q63R) functional variation and multiple sclerosis (MS). A total of 100 Iranian MS patients and 100 healthy controls were enrolled in the study and genotyped through TaqMan assay. The co-dominant, dominant, recessive, over-dominant, and additive inheritance models were analyzed using SNPStats software. A significant genetic association was observed between Q63R polymorphism and MS. The dominant model was accepted as the best inheritance model to fit the data (OR 2.70, 95% CI 1.47–4.97, p = 0.001). The data implied the involvement of the CNR2 gene in susceptibility to MS in Iranian patients.

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Abbreviations

SNP :

single-nucleotide polymorphism

CB2 :

cannabinoid receptor type 2

ITP :

thrombocytopenic purpura

JIA :

juvenile idiopathic arthritis

IBD :

inflammatory bowel disease

RA :

rheumatoid arteritis

MS :

multiple sclerosis

OR :

odds ratio

CI :

confidence interval

HWE :

Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium

RRMS :

relapsing-remitting MS

SPMS :

secondary-progressive MS

PPMS :

primary-progressive MS

AIC :

Akaike information criterion

CNS :

central nerve system

EC :

endocannabinoid

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all the participants in the current study.

Funding

This work was financially supported by Golestan University of Medical Sciences (No. 231195).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neuroscience Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran

    Alireza Tahamtan

  2. Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran

    Alireza Tahamtan, Saeed Samadizadeh, Abdolvahab Moradi, Alijan Tabarraei & Naeme Javid

  3. Islamic Azad University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

    Shahrzad Rezaiy

  4. Ischemic Disorders Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran

    Morteza Oladnabi

  5. Department of Neurology, Sayyad Hospital, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran

    Mohammad Hosein Naeimi

Authors
  1. Alireza Tahamtan
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  2. Shahrzad Rezaiy
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Correspondence to Alireza Tahamtan.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

The current human study was approved by the science and bioethics committee of Golestan University of Medical Sciences (IR.GOUMS.REC.1397.045).

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Tahamtan, A., Rezaiy, S., Samadizadeh, S. et al. Cannabinoid CB2 Receptor Functional Variation (Q63R) Is Associated with Multiple Sclerosis in Iranian Subjects. J Mol Neurosci 70, 26–31 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12031-019-01395-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12031-019-01395-9

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