Scientists at the Regeneron Genetics Center have identified a previously unknown variation within the CHRNB3 gene structure, one that appears most frequently among individuals descended from the indigenous peoples of the New World. Those possessing this specific variant, when they do smoke, consume significantly fewer cigarettes daily compared to other regular smokers. The findings from this research have been published in the journal Nature Communications (NatCom).
The CHRNB3 gene is responsible for coding one of the subunits that make up the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor—a protein integral to generating the “rewarding” sensation nicotine induces in the brain. It is already established knowledge within the scientific community that variations in genes related to these receptors can impact a smoker’s behavior and their level of dependence.
The research team conducted a genomic analysis involving 37,897 smokers who were part of the Mexico City Prospective Study. Through this analysis, they pinpointed the CHRNB3 variant associated with a reduced daily cigarette consumption rate.
The study demonstrated that individuals carrying just one copy of this variant smoked, on average, 21% fewer cigarettes per day when contrasted with carriers of the more common version of the gene. If two copies of the variant were present, the reduction in consumption was even more substantial, dropping by approximately 78%.
This particular mutation effectively disrupts the function of the CHRNB3 gene and shows a high prevalence among people of Mexican indigenous heritage. Uncovering this characteristic offers researchers a new insight: dampening the activity of this specific DNA region, which codes for a component of the nicotine receptor, could serve as a highly effective therapeutic approach for overcoming nicotine addiction.
Significantly, this correlation was corroborated by data derived from other large cohorts: specifically, about 130,000 Europeans from the UK Biobank and roughly 180,000 East Asian participants from the Japan Biobank.
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