UDP-glucuronosyltransferase genetic variation in North African populations: a comparison with African and European data

• Main Authors: Apolonia Novillo (Author), María Gaibar (Author), Alicia Romero-Lorca (Author), Hassen Chaabani (Author), Nadir Amir (Author), Pedro Moral (Author), M. Esther Esteban (Author), Ana Fernández-Santander (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group, 2018-11-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 0301-4460; 1464-5033; 10.1080/03014460.2018.1559354
• Keywords: glucuronidase; ugts; pharmacogenetics; genetic diversity; risk-associated alleles; Biology (General); QH301-705.5; Human anatomy; QM1-695; Physiology; QP1-981
• Source: Annals of Human Biology, Vol 45, Iss 6-8, Pp 516-523 (2018)

Background: Genetic variation in glucuronosyltransferases (UGT) is crucial in drug metabolism and risk of some diseases. Aim: To examine genetic variation in UGT in North African populations. Subjects and methods: Allele frequencies of SNPs UGT1A424Thr, UGT1A448Val, UGT2B1585Tyr, UGT2B15523Thr and UGT2B17 CNV deletion from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya were compared to European and Sub-Saharan populations. Results: North Africans are the group with the highest genetic heterogeneity given by internal differences in the occurrence of UGT2B17 deletion, UGT1A448Val and UGT1A4 haplotypes. UGT2B15 SNPs differentiate Sub-Saharans from the rest of the populations. Conclusion: North African populations show a high frequency of carriers of UGT2B15523Thr, a variant linked to an increased risk of prostate cancer. High Atlas Moroccans and Algerians show low frequency of UGT2B17del, a variant associated with high concentrations of testosterone and oestradiol.