Background/aims: Recently, it has been shown that the heme oxygenases HMOX1 and HMOX2 might play a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Methods: To investigate whether there is any association between the HMOX1 and HMOX2 genes and AD, five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in each gene were genotyped in 180 AD patients and 132 age-matched controls using TaqMan technology.
Results: Our study failed to detect any association between the SNPs of the HMOX1 and HMOX2 genes and AD. In addition, we did not observe any synergetic association between the SNPs studied and apolipoprotein E in our AD patients.
Conclusion: Further genetic studies are needed to clarify the relationship between the two genes and AD.
Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.