AUTHOR=Smederevac Snežana , Delgado-Cruzata Lissette , Mitrović Dušanka , Dinić Bojana M. , Bravo Toni-Ann T. , Delgado Maria , Bugarski Ignjatović Vojislava , Sadiković Selka , Milovanović Ilija , Vučinić Nataša , Branovački Bojan , Prinz Mechthild , Budimlija Zoran , Kušić‐Tišma Jelena , Nikolašević Željka 

TITLE=Differences in MB-COMT DNA methylation in monozygotic twins on phenotypic indicators of impulsivity

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Genetics

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/articles/10.3389/fgene.2022.1067276

DOI=10.3389/fgene.2022.1067276

ISSN=1664-8021

ABSTRACT=<p>Epigenetic modifications of the membrane bound catechol-O-methyltransferase (<italic>MB</italic>-<italic>COMT</italic>) gene may affect the enzymatic degradation of dopamine, and consequently, human behavior. This study investigated the association between membrane bound catechol-O-methyltransferase DNA methylation (DNAm) differences in 92 monozygotic (MZ) twins with phenotypic manifestations of cognitive, behavioral, and personality indicators associated with reward-related behaviors and lack of control. We used pyrosequencing to determine DNAm of the regulatory region of membrane bound catechol-O-methyltransferase in saliva DNA. Results of intrapair differences in the percentage of membrane bound catechol-O-methyltransferase DNAm at each of five CpG sites show that there are associations between phenotypic indicators of lack of control and membrane bound catechol-O-methyltransferase DNAm differences on CpG1, CpG2 and CpG4, suggesting the common epigenetic patterns for personality traits, cognitive functions, and risk behaviors.</p>