The AVPR1A Gene and Substance Use Disorders: Association, Replication, and Functional Evidence

Background The liability to addiction has been shown to be highly genetically correlated across drug classes, suggesting nondrug-specific mechanisms. Methods In 757 subjects, we performed association analysis between 1536 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 106 candidate genes and a drug use disorder diagnosis (DUD). Results Associations ( p ≤ .0008) were detected with three SNPs in the arginine vasopressin 1A receptor gene, AVPR1A , with a gene-wise p value of 3 × 10−5 . Bioinformatic evidence points to a role for rs11174811 (microRNA binding site disruption) in AVPR1A function. Based on literature implicating AVPR1A in social bonding, we tested spousal satisfaction as a mediator of the association of rs11174811 with the DUD. Spousal satisfaction was significantly associated with DUD in males ( p < .0001). The functional AVPR1A SNP, rs11174811, was associated with spousal satisfaction in males ( p = .007). Spousal satisfaction was a significant mediator of the relationship between rs11174811 and DUD. We also present replication of the association in males between rs11174811 and substance use in one clinically ascertained ( n = 1399) and one epidemiologic sample ( n = 2231). The direction of the association is consistent across the clinically-ascertained samples but reversed in the epidemiologic sample. Lastly, we found a significant impact of rs11174811 genotype on AVPR1A expression in a postmortem brain sample. Conclusions The findings of this study call for expansion of research into the role of the arginine vasopressin and other neuropeptide system variation in DUD liability.