Associations between single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the NTRK1 gene and basal pain sensitivity in young Han Chinese women

OBJECTIVES The NTRK1 gene plays an important role in sensory and sympathetic neuronal survival. Mutations in this gene cause a rare hereditary disease known as congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis. The aim of this study was to explore possible associations between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in NTRK1 and pain perception in a selected population. METHODS A total of 309 healthy Han Chinese female undergraduates were recruited. Responses to quantitative sensory testing of pressure pain (dull, sharp, and acupuncture) were assessed, and genotyping of 13 tag-SNPs of NTRK1 was performed in the undergraduates recruited. Association analyses were performed via logistic regression analysis after adjusting for covariates such as age and body mass index. Promising associations were replicated in 197 patients scheduled to undergo gynecological surgery. RESULTS The results showed that nine tag-SNPs of NTRK1 were significantly associated with pressure pain thresholds (P<0.05), leading to either hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity. More specifically, four tag-SNPs, rs1800880, rs6334, rs2644604 and rs943552, revealed a highly significant (P=0.008, 0.02, 0.01, 0.01, respectively) association with lower mechanical pain sensitivity of sharp pressure pain. Individuals who carried the haplotype CTCC were hyposensitive to sharp pressure pain compared with other haplotypes. CONCLUSION These results suggest that polymorphisms in NTRK1 play an important role in pain sensitivity in young Han Chinese women.