Association study between the -62A/T NFKBIL1 polymorphism and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Objective: Evidence from family and molecular genetic studies support the hypothesis of involvement of immunologic mechanisms in the pathophysiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder. The nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells inhibitor-like 1 (NFKBIL1) has been suggested as a modulator of the immunological system. Given the importance of NFKBIL1 in the immunological response, the present study investigated the -62A/T polymorphism (rs2071592), located in the promoter region of its gene (NFKBIL1), as a genetic risk factor for the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Method: The -62A/T NFKBIL1 polymorphism was investigated in a sample of 111 patients who met DSM-IV criteria for obsessive-compulsive disorder and 272 healthy age- and gender-matched controls.

Results: There were no differences in genotypic distributions between patients and controls (chi2 = 0.98; 2 d.f.; p = 0.61).

Discussion: Despite these negative findings, more comprehensive polymorphism coverage within the NFKBIL1 is warranted in larger samples. Populations with different ethnic backgrounds should also be studied.

Conclusion: The results of the present investigation do not provide evidence for the association between the -62A/T NFKBIL1 polymorphism and obsessive-compulsive disorder in this Brazilian sample.