Pharmacogenetics

This review deals with the evidence for variability in drug response due to genetic polymorphisms and speculates on potential use of genetic data in d etermining variability in drug response in patients with asthma and COPD. P olymorphism of the beta (2)-adrenoreceptor gene at a number of sites corres ponding to amino acid positions 16 and 27 have been proposed as being funct ionally relevant. Genes for muscarinic M-2, histamine H-1 and glucocorticoi d receptors and the 5-lipoxygenase promoter may also be relevant. The molec ular genetics of COPD are less well understood, but genes for oxidative str ess, TNF-alpha and nicotine metabolism have been implicated.