May 23, 2012

Isabel Teotonio

In a landmark study examining the smoking behaviour of more than 32,300 African Americans, researchers have identified a genetic marker linked to how much a person smokes.

The findings of the study, which were published Tuesday in Translational Psychiatry, may prove useful in helping develop treatments to help smokers butt out.

This kind of research has been done in the past on white populations, but studying those who are non-European is important given their greater genetic diversity.

If we want to think about a future where we can use biological markers and psychosocial history to really tailor treatments, we need to understand the genetic architecture of smoking in multiple populations, said clinical associate professor of medicine at Stanford University Sean David, the studys lead author.

We havent found the cure to smoking with this study, said David, referring to the Study of Tobacco in Minority Populations Genetics Consortium, called STOMP. But we have found an informative genetic marker of smoking quantity that we think could inform future research to help move the field forward.

Researchers combined the findings of 13 previous studies, which provided a sample size of 32,389 men and women of African ancestry. This enabled them to better see links that may have been too subtle to spot in smaller studies. Genome-wide association studies are used to identify common genetic factors that influence health and disease.

The STOMP study, which included 78 researchers from 50 academic institutions across the United States, is the first meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies for smoking behaviours in African Americans. (Meta-analysis is a statistical technique for combining the results of independent studies.)

Investigators gathered a variety of data, including when people smoked their first cigarette, when they began smoking regularly and if they were heavy, or light, smokers.

Continue reading here:
Genetic marker predicts smoking behaviour in African Americans

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