[Genome-wide associations for cigarette smoking behavior]

Abstract

Diseases related to tobacco smoking are the second leading cause of death in the world. Despite increasing evidence of genetic determination, the susceptibility genes and loci underlying various aspects of smoking behavior are largely unknown. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) provided a new conceptual framework in the search for variants underlying common traits/disorders. A massive scan of the genome and a "hypothesis-free" approach enable discovery of new aspects of genetics of complex traits. In this paper the results of GWASs and GWAS meta-analyzes of cigarette smoking behavior and nicotine dependence are reviewed with the particular attention to smoking cessation success and the replacement therapy. The results of these studies are discussed in the context of the results of the candidate gene association studies. Studies on the role of the genomic regions, identified in GWASs, in the development of smoking-related diseases are also discussed.