The interaction between the major vault protein rs4788186 polymorphism, alcohol dependence, and depression among male Chinese problem drinkers

Yuyu Wu; Ke Zhao; Yingjie Chen; Liujun Wu; Feng Qiu; Yuying Yuan; Guanghui Shen; Kexin Wang; Yimin Kang; Yongsheng Jiang; Wei Wang; Li Chen; Yanlong Liu; Xuebo Pan; Fan Wang; Longteng Xie

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1111712

The interaction between the major vault protein rs4788186 polymorphism, alcohol dependence, and depression among male Chinese problem drinkers

Front Psychiatry. 2023 Jul 21:14:1111712. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1111712. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Yuyu Wu^{1

2}, Ke Zhao³, Yingjie Chen⁴, Liujun Wu^{1

2

4

5}, Feng Qiu⁶, Yuying Yuan⁶, Guanghui Shen^{1

2}, Kexin Wang^{1

2}, Yimin Kang⁷, Yongsheng Jiang⁸, Wei Wang^{1

2}, Li Chen^{1

2}, Yanlong Liu^{1

2}, Xuebo Pan⁶, Fan Wang⁹, Longteng Xie⁸

Affiliations

¹ Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, Wenzhou, China.
² School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
³ Lishui Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui, China.
⁴ Cixi Biomedical Research Institute, Wenzhou Medical University, Ningbo, China.
⁵ Applied Psychology (Ningbo) Research Center, Wenzhou Medical University, Ningbo, China.
⁶ School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
⁷ Key Laboratory of Psychosomatic Medicine, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Huhhot, China.
⁸ The Affiliated Xiangshan Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Ningbo, China.
⁹ Beijing Hui-Long-Guan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.

Abstract

Objective: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is the second most prevalent mental disorder and might be related to depression. Major vault protein (MVP) is a cytoplasmic protein related to vesicle transport. The present study aimed to investigate the interaction between a genetic variant (MVP rs4788186) and depression in adult male Han Chinese with AUD during withdrawal.

Methods: All participants (N = 435) were diagnosed with AUD. Alcohol dependence level was measured using the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test, and depression was measured using the self-rating depression scale. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood and genotyped.

Results: Hierarchical regression analysis identified an interaction between MVP rs4788186 and alcohol dependence level for depression (β = -0.17, p < 0.05). Then, a region of significance test was performed to interpret the interaction effect. Re-parameterized regression models revealed that the interaction between MVP rs4788186 and alcohol problem severity fit the strong differential susceptibility model (R² = 0.08, p < 0.001), suggesting that the AA homozygotes would be more likely subjects with the G allele to experience major depression symptoms.

Conclusion: Carriers of the AA homozygote of MVP rs4788186 may be more susceptible to severe alcohol problems and higher levels of depression during withdrawal.

Keywords: G × E; alcohol dependence; depression; major vault protein; single nucleotide polymorphism.