SNP rs1801260 at the 3’UTR miRNA binding region of Clock gene is a risk factor of alcohol addiction: A case-control study in East Indian population

Drug addiction is a chronic disorder that alters mammalian circadian rhythms. The central player of circadian rhythmicity is the Clock gene. Its polymorphisms are associated with various behavioural and psychiatric disorders, although their involvement with drug addiction is still not known. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify any association of Clock gene polymorphisms with drug addiction. This study investigated the presence/absence of three SNPs (rs1801260, rs3749474, and rs10462028) located in the non-coding 3’UTR region of the Clock gene in the drug-addicted population of East India, residing in Kolkata. They are reportedly associated with different behavioural diseases in diverse populations. Among them, rs1801260 showed a significant association (odds ratio 2.666 and 95%CI 1.416 ~ 5.019) with the alcoholic population in our study. In-silico analysis exhibited allele-specific miRNA binding at this locus, implying a possible role in gene regulation. Hence, rs1801260 can be a genetic risk factor for alcohol addiction.