Archief Roodbont

Some polymorphisms that raise variability in drug metabolism occur at higher frequencies in the genomes of particular races. The P-glycoprotein (PGP) is a transporter that distributes many types of drugs, including those used in chemotherapy. Globally, there is an immense genetic variation in the gene encoding PGP. What is interesting in the case of PGP is that different races have been characterized as having higher frequencies of certain PGP polymorphisms. Studies have shown that African people have about an 80% chance of having one specific version while Asian and European peoples have half that chance (Kim et al., 2001).