Nicotinamide N-Methyltransferase: Genomic Connection to Disease

David B Ramsden; Rosemary H Waring; Richard B Parsons; David J Barlow; Adrian C Williams

doi:10.1177/1178646920919770

Nicotinamide N-Methyltransferase: Genomic Connection to Disease

Int J Tryptophan Res. 2020 Jun 4:13:1178646920919770. doi: 10.1177/1178646920919770. eCollection 2020.

Authors

David B Ramsden¹, Rosemary H Waring², Richard B Parsons³, David J Barlow³, Adrian C Williams⁴

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, The Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
² School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
³ Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Kings College London, London, UK.
⁴ Neurology Unit, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.

Abstract

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in and around the nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) gene are associated with a range of cancers and other diseases and conditions. The data on these associations have been assembled, and their strength discussed. There is no evidence that the presence of either the major or minor base in any SNP affects the expression of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase. Nevertheless, suggestions have been put forward that some of these SNPs do affect NNMT expression and thus homocysteine metabolism. An alternative idea involving non-coding messenger RNAs (mRNAs) is suggested as a possible mechanism whereby health is influenced. It is postulated that these long, non-coding NNMT mRNAs may exert deleterious effects by interfering with the expression of other genes. Neither hypothesis, however, has experimental proof, and further work is necessary to elucidate NNMT genetic interactions.

Keywords: NNMT; SNPs; cancer; genome; illness.

Publication types

Review