DEBRISOQUINE HYDROXYLASE GENE POLYMORPHISM IN MENINGIOMA

Cytochrome P450 CYP2D6 polymorphism is an autosomal recessive trait as sociated with impaired debrisoquine metabolism in 5-10% of caucasian p opulations. This polymorphism has been associated with susceptibility to Parkinson's disease, bladder cancer, various forms of leukemia and possibly melanoma. In many other cancer forms, the data remained contr adictory due to the technical limitations for identifying affected ind ividuals (poor metabolizers). A recently developed polymerase chain re action-based assay allows convenient screening of approximately 80% of known mutations. We have tested brain tumors correlated with chromoso me 22 deviations for genetic polymorphism in the cytochrome P450 CYP2D 6 locus localized on chromosome 22q13. Thirty-one meningioma samples w ere analyzed and the observed frequency of heterozygotes and homozygot es for the G to A mutation did not deviate significantly from the dist ribution in a normal population. These data are comparable to previous observations in for example breast and colon cancer and indicate that the CYP2D6 locus on chromosome 22q13 is not involved in the pathogene sis of meningiomas