Role of polymorphisms of inducible nitric oxide synthase and endothelial nitric oxide synthase in idiopathic environmental intolerances

Mediators Inflamm. 2015:2015:245308. doi: 10.1155/2015/245308. Epub 2015 Mar 24.

Abstract

Oxidative stress and inflammation play a pathogenetic role in idiopathic environmental intolerances (IEI), namely, multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), fibromyalgia (FM), and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Given the reported association of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) gene polymorphisms with inflammatory disorders, we aimed to investigate the distribution of NOS2A -2.5 kb (CCTTT) n as well as Ser608Leu and NOS3 -786T>C variants and their correlation with nitrite/nitrate levels, in a study cohort including 170 MCS, 108 suspected MCS (SMCS), 89 FM/CFS, and 196 healthy subjects. Patients and controls had similar distributions of NOS2A Ser608Leu and NOS3 -786T>C polymorphisms. Interestingly, the NOS3 -786TT genotype was associated with increased nitrite/nitrate levels only in IEI patients. We also found that the NOS2A -2.5 kb (CCTTT)11 allele represents a genetic determinant for FM/CFS, and the (CCTTT)16 allele discriminates MCS from SMCS patients. Instead, the (CCTTT)8 allele reduces by three-, six-, and tenfold, respectively, the risk for MCS, SMCS, and FM/CFS. Moreover, a short number of (CCTTT) repeats is associated with higher concentrations of nitrites/nitrates. Here, we first demonstrate that NOS3 -786T>C variant affects nitrite/nitrate levels in IEI patients and that screening for NOS2A -2.5 kb (CCTTT) n polymorphism may be useful for differential diagnosis of various IEI.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / genetics*
  • Female
  • Fibromyalgia / genetics*
  • Gene Frequency
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Microsatellite Repeats
  • Middle Aged
  • Multiple Chemical Sensitivity / genetics*
  • Nitrates / blood
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / genetics*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / genetics*
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide*

Substances

  • Nitrates
  • NOS2 protein, human
  • NOS3 protein, human
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III