The estrogen metabolite, 4-hydroxy-estrogen, has been shown to play a role in malignant transformation of male kidneys. To counteract the effects of this catechol-estrogen, the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) enzyme is capable of neutralizing the genotoxic effects of this compound. A polymorphic variant of COMT has been shown to have a reduced enzyme activity, and thus, we hypothesize that ...

A common polymorphism in the human gene for catechol-O-methyltransferase results in replacement of Val-108 by Met in the soluble form of the protein (s-COMT) and has been linked to breast cancer and neuropsychiatric disorders. The 108M and 108V variants are reported to differ in their thermal stability, with 108M COMT losing catalytic activity more rapidly. Because human s-COMT contains seven c...

OBJECTIVE In the prefrontal cortex, the enzyme catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) is critical in the metabolic degradation of dopamine, a neurotransmitter hypothesized to influence human cognitive function. The COMT gene contains a functional polymorphism, Val158Met, that exerts a fourfold effect on enzyme activity. The current study investigated whether prefrontal cognition varies with COMT g...

OBJECTIVE The 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (DiGeorge/velocardiofacial syndrome) is associated with attentional problems and executive dysfunction, and is one of the highest known risk factors for schizophrenia. These behavioral manifestations of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome could result from haploinsufficiency of the catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene, located within the 22q11 region. The goal ...

Catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) is an important estrogen-metabolizing enzyme, and common genetic variants in this gene could affect breast cancer risk. We conducted a large population-based case control study in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin to examine six strategically selected COMT haplotype-tagging (ht) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs), including the val158met polymor...

Schizotypy phenotypes in the general population share etiopathogenic mechanisms and risk factors with schizophrenia, supporting the notion of psychosis as a continuum ranging from nonclinical to clinical deviance. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is a candidate susceptibility gene for schizophrenia that is involved in the regulation of dopamine in the prefrontal cortex. Several recent studie...

Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is vital for the conjugation of catechol estrogens that are produced during oestrogen metabolism. The efficiency of this process varies due to a polymorphism in COMT, which changes valine to methionine (V158M). The Met genotypes slow the metabolism of catechol oestrogens, which are agents that are capable of causing DNA damage through the formation of DNA add...

traumatic brain injury (tbi) is one of the serious neurodisorders commonly caused by car accidents and sports. preventive measures are highly recommended to reduce the risk and number of tbi cases. after tbi, the primary injury to the brain initiates a secondary injury process that spreads via multiple molecular mechanisms in the pathogenesis of tbi. many studies in animals using cdna microarra...

BACKGROUND Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is the principal enzyme in the conjugation pathway for hydroxylated estrogens. We hypothesize that blood 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) and estrone (E(1)) levels in postmenopausal women receiving an oral E(2) preparation are dependent on the enzyme activity of COMT. METHODS To determine the influence of this enzyme on E(2) serum levels three groups of 1...