The potentially deleterious functional variant flavin-containing monooxygenase 2*1 is at high frequency throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The drug-metabolizing enzyme flavin-containing monooxygenase 2 (FMO2) is the predominant FMO isoform present in the lung of most mammals, including non-human primates. All Europeans and Asians tested have been shown to be homozygous for a non-functional variant, FMO2*2A, which contains a premature stop codon due to a single-nucleotide change in exon 9 (g.23238C>T). The ancestral allele, FMO2*1, encodes a functionally active protein and has been found in African-Americans (26%) and Hispanics (2% to 7%). Possessing this variant increases the risk of pulmonary toxicity when exposed to thioureas, a widely used class of industrial compounds. FMO2 may also be involved in the metabolism of drugs that are used to treat diseases that are prevalent in Africa.

Results and conclu

SUBMITTER: Veeramah KR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2666332 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature