Association between genetic polymorphisms in Ca(v)2.3 (R-type) Ca2+ channels and fentanyl sensitivity in patients undergoing painful cosmetic surgery.

ABSTRACT: Individual differences in the sensitivity to fentanyl, a widely used opioid analgesic, lead to different proper doses of fentanyl, which can hamper effective pain treatment. Voltage-activated Ca(2+) channels (VACCs) play a crucial role in the nervous system by controlling membrane excitability and calcium signaling. Ca(v)2.3 (R-type) VACCs have been especially thought to play critical roles in pain pathways and the analgesic effects of opioids. However, unknown is whether single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the human CACNA1E (calcium channel, voltage-dependent, R type, alpha 1E subunit) gene that encodes Cav2.3 VACCs influence the analgesic effects of opioids. Thus, the present study examined associations between fentanyl sensitivity and SNPs in the human CACNA1E gene in 355 Japanese

SUBMITTER: Ide S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3734060 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature