Association of rare and common genetic variants in MOCOS with inadequate response to allopurinol

The minor allele of the common rs2231142 ABCG2 variant predicts inadequate response to allopurinol urate lowering therapy. We hypothesize that additional variants in genes encoding urate transporters and allopurinol-to-oxypurinol metabolic enzymes also predict allopurinol response.

This study included a subset of participants with gout from the Long-term Allopurinol Safety Study Evaluating Outcomes in Gout Patients (LASSO), whose whole genome was sequenced (n = 563). Good responders had a 4:1 or 5:1 ratio of good [serum urate (SU) <0.36 mmol/l on allopurinol ≤300 mg/day] to poor (SU ≥0.36 mmol/l despite allopurinol >300 mg/day) responses over five to six time points, while inadequate responders had a 1:4 or 1:5 ratio of good to poor responses. Adherence to allopurinol was determined by pill counts, and for a subgroup (n = 303), by plasma oxypurinol >20μmol/l. Using the sequence kernel association test (SKAT), we estimated the combined effect of rare and common variants in urate secretory (ABCC4, ABCC5, ABCG2, SLC17A1, SLC17A3, SLC22A6, SLC22A8) and reuptake genes (SLC2A9, SLC22A11) and in allopurinol-to-oxypurinol metabolic genes (AOX1, MOCOS, XDH) on allopurinol response.

There was an association of rare and common variants in the allopurinol-to-oxypurinol gene group (PSKAT-C = 0.019), and in MOCOS, encoding molybdenum cofactor sulfurase, with allopurinol response (PSKAT-C = 0.011). Evidence for genetic association with allopurinol response in the allopurinol-to-oxypurinol gene group (PSKAT-C = 0.002) and MOCOS (PSKAT-C < 0.001) was stronger when adherence to allopurinol therapy was confirmed by plasma oxypurinol.

We provide evidence for common and rare genetic variation in MOCOS associating with allopurinol response.