Asian populations are genetically different from other human populations, therefore, variation in genes contributing to drug metabolism and response also referred to as pharmacogenes, may affect the safety or efficacy of many clinically important medications. In addition, genetic information is invaluable for understanding the pathophysiology of diseases. However, which variants are important and their prevalence might not only differ among ethnic groups but also geographically unique populations. Clinical phenotypes associated with genetic variants might also have similarities and/or differences among various ethnicities. Drug-metabolizing enzymes, transporters, and drug targets are subject to inter-ethnic differences.
For example, the distributions of HLA alleles vary among different populations and thus populations are not equally affected by severe cutaneous reactions to certain drugs. As illustrated by the HLA*15:02 allele, which has been associated with carbamazepine-induced SJS/TEN in Thai, Han-Chinese, and Southeast Asian populations, but not in Japanese or Korean individuals, or those of European ancestry. Therefore, to implement pharmacogenetics into clinical practice it is imperative to understand the genetic variants present in the target population and also be able to interpret genetic information, i.e. know their functional impact to facilitate their translation into clinically actionable phenotypes.
The goal of this Research Topic article collection is to provide a comprehensive overview of how pharmacogenomics influences the safety and/or efficacy of medications in different Asian populations, recent trends, and updates of research with a focus on the differences and similarities on the effect of genetic variation within Asian populations, and in comparison with other world populations, as well as barriers and opportunities for the implementation of pharmacogenomics into clinical practice in Asians. Studies merely describing frequencies for already known single nucleotide variations (SNVs) or variant alleles will not be acceptable.
This Research Topic article collection encourages submission of well-statistically-powered original research articles and reviews (with or without meta-analyses) covering, but not limited, to:
• Identification of new genetic variations in pharmacogenes in Asian populations.
• Effects of genetic variations on drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in Asian populations.
• Differences in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics between Asian and other human populations as a result of genetic variation.
• Novel approaches of translating genotyping, phenotyping, and phenoconversion in clinical practice.
• Implementation of genotyping in the development of personalized drug therapy.
• Candidate gene studies, genome-wide association studies, and whole-genome admixture-based approaches which account for rare variants to detect and replicate novel pharmacogenetic loci.
• Pharmacogenetics and ethnicity: relevance for clinical implementation, clinical trials, pharmacovigilance, drug regulation, and national policies with a focus on Asian populations.
• Population pharmacogenomics and pharmacometrics with a focus on Asian populations.
• Pharmacogenetics biomarkers and dose optimization with a focus on Asian populations.
Asian populations are genetically different from other human populations, therefore, variation in genes contributing to drug metabolism and response also referred to as pharmacogenes, may affect the safety or efficacy of many clinically important medications. In addition, genetic information is invaluable for understanding the pathophysiology of diseases. However, which variants are important and their prevalence might not only differ among ethnic groups but also geographically unique populations. Clinical phenotypes associated with genetic variants might also have similarities and/or differences among various ethnicities. Drug-metabolizing enzymes, transporters, and drug targets are subject to inter-ethnic differences.
For example, the distributions of HLA alleles vary among different populations and thus populations are not equally affected by severe cutaneous reactions to certain drugs. As illustrated by the HLA*15:02 allele, which has been associated with carbamazepine-induced SJS/TEN in Thai, Han-Chinese, and Southeast Asian populations, but not in Japanese or Korean individuals, or those of European ancestry. Therefore, to implement pharmacogenetics into clinical practice it is imperative to understand the genetic variants present in the target population and also be able to interpret genetic information, i.e. know their functional impact to facilitate their translation into clinically actionable phenotypes.
The goal of this Research Topic article collection is to provide a comprehensive overview of how pharmacogenomics influences the safety and/or efficacy of medications in different Asian populations, recent trends, and updates of research with a focus on the differences and similarities on the effect of genetic variation within Asian populations, and in comparison with other world populations, as well as barriers and opportunities for the implementation of pharmacogenomics into clinical practice in Asians. Studies merely describing frequencies for already known single nucleotide variations (SNVs) or variant alleles will not be acceptable.
This Research Topic article collection encourages submission of well-statistically-powered original research articles and reviews (with or without meta-analyses) covering, but not limited, to:
• Identification of new genetic variations in pharmacogenes in Asian populations.
• Effects of genetic variations on drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in Asian populations.
• Differences in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics between Asian and other human populations as a result of genetic variation.
• Novel approaches of translating genotyping, phenotyping, and phenoconversion in clinical practice.
• Implementation of genotyping in the development of personalized drug therapy.
• Candidate gene studies, genome-wide association studies, and whole-genome admixture-based approaches which account for rare variants to detect and replicate novel pharmacogenetic loci.
• Pharmacogenetics and ethnicity: relevance for clinical implementation, clinical trials, pharmacovigilance, drug regulation, and national policies with a focus on Asian populations.
• Population pharmacogenomics and pharmacometrics with a focus on Asian populations.
• Pharmacogenetics biomarkers and dose optimization with a focus on Asian populations.
