Strong association between N-acetyltransferase 2 genotype and PD in Hong Kong Chinese

Background: The slow acetylator genotype for N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2 genotype) may be associated with PD in white subjects and the genotype is common in both white and Chinese populations. Whether there is a relationship between NAT2 genotype and PD in Chinese subjects is not known. Objective: To investigate the association between the slow acetylator genotype for N-acetyltransferase 2 and PD in a Chinese population. Methods: The authors obtained DNA samples and documented sex, age, and smoking history in 99 Chinese patients with PD and in 126 control subjects from two major Hong Kong hospitals. PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism was used to identify M1, M2, and M3 mutant polymorphisms of the slow acetylator genotype for N-acetyltransferase 2. Logistic regression analyses were carried out to investigate the relationships between the different variables and PD. Results: The frequency of the slow acetylator, genotype for N-acetyltransferase 2 in the PD group was significantly higher than that of the control group (68.7% vs 28.6%) with an OR of 5.53 (95% CI 3.08 to 9.92) after adjusting for age, sex, and smoking history. In a subgroup analysis smoking had no modifying effect on the association between genotype and PD. Conclusions: There is a significant association between PD and the slow acetylator genotype for N-acetyltransferase 2 in Hong Kong Chinese. The OR found is among the highest reported so far in all susceptibility gene studies for PD in both Chinese and white subjects and provides evidence for a possible functional relationship between NAT2 slow acetylator genotype and PD in both racial groups.