NNOS gene polymorphism in migraine patients

Migraine is a sendrome that characterized by neurological and non-neurological symptoms. Migraine developed with a headache by attacks. Physiopathology of migraine is complicated. Today, genetic and environmental factors, vascular modifications, hypothalamus dysfunctions, neurotransmitters, trigeminovascular abnormalities and neurogenic inflammations are considered to have an active part in migraine. Importance of genetic predisposition of etiopathogenesis of migraine has been known for a long time. The pattern of inheritance has not been identified completely yet but multigenetic factors may play role in inheritance. Nitric oxide (NO) plays a major role in vasodilation, neurotransmission, neurogenic inflammation, nociception, etc. has been considered to be the key molecule of migraine. Glyceryl trinitrat, histamine and nitroglycerin NO donor, have been known to trigger migraine attacks. There are several studies that shown relations between NO and migraine. In this study, we investigated that if there is any relation between C276T polymorphism of nNOS gene and migraine. Following DNA isolation from blood samples were taken from 120 migraine patients and 185 healthy persons the genotypes (compared with samples that obtained from healthy persons), by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Restriction Fragment Lenght Polymorphism (RFLP). Statistical evaluation of the data showed that there is no any marked relation between the C276T polymorphism of the nNOS gene and migraine.