PRODYNORPHIN ALLELIC DISTRIBUTION IN SCANDINAVIAN CHRONIC-ALCOHOLICS

Two regions of the human prodynorphin gene, the exon 4-region coding f or the opioid peptides and the putative promotor/exon 1-region were an alyzed for possible presence of polymorphisms. No polymorphism was det ected in the exon 4-region, whereas a GC/AT base-pair exchange was obs erved 301 base pairs upstream of the exon 1/intron A boundary. This po lymorphic marker was examined in Scandinavian chronic alcoholics (n = 70) and control subjects (n = 55). Prodynorphin allelic distributions were not significantly different in alcoholic patients and control sub jects. The results suggest that no major influence on alcoholism is ex erted through genes associated with this prodynorphin allelic marker.