Association of alpha subunit of GABAA receptor subtype gene polymorphisms with epilepsy susceptibility and drug resistance in north Indian population

GABA (γ-amino butyric acid) receptors have always been an inviting target in the etiology and treatment of epilepsy because of its role as a major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. The aim of our study was to find out the possible role of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) present in GABRA1 IVS11 + 15 A > G (rs2279020) and GABRG2 588C > T (rs211037) genes in seizure susceptibility and pharmaco-resistance in northern Indian patients with epilepsy. A total of 395 epilepsy patients and 199 control subjects were enrolled for present study. The genotyping was done by PCR-RFLP methods. The GABRA1 IVS11 + 15 A > G polymorphism conferred high risk for epilepsy susceptibility at genotype ‘AG’ (P = 0.004, OR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.20–2.63), ‘GG’ (P = 0.01, OR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.15–2.80) and G allele level (P = 0.001, OR = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.16–1.92). Moreover this polymorphism was also associated with multiple drug resistance in patients with epilepsy for homozygous variant ‘GG’ genotype (P = 0.031, OR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.05–3.23) and G allele (P = 0.020, OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.05–1.95). However GABRG2 588C > T polymorphism was not found to be associated either with epilepsy susceptibility or with drug resistance. Overall results indicate differential role of different subunits of GABAA receptor subtypes in epilepsy susceptibility and pharmacotherapy.