J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc.  2000 Jan;39(1):199-207.

Serotonin Transporter Gene Polymorphism and Major Depression

• Lim SW
• Sohn SE
• Kim DK
• Kim E

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Serotonin transporter(5-hydroxytryptamine transporter, 5-HTT) plays a critical role in the termination of serotonergic neurotransmission into the presynaptic neuron and represents an initial site of uptake inhibiting antidepressants, including tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. We investigated the possible association between the 5-HTT gene and major depression, and examined whether there are genotypic characteristics in 5-HTT gene that result in treatment nonresponsiveness to uptake inhibiting antidepressants.
METHODS
5-HTT gene polymorphisms are analyzed with the primers flanking the second intron and regulatory region from genomic DNA. We genotyped 142 patients with major depression and dysthymia, and 252 age and sex matched normal subjects. All individuals were Korean.
RESULTS
We found no significant differences in the allele frequency(2 nd intron, p=0.941 : promoter, p=0.122) between patients and controls. However, in association studies between antidepressant responsiveness in depressive patients and allele frequencies of 5-HTT gene polymorphism in intron2 and promoter regions, there was shown significant differences in both(p<0.0001, p=0.0028, respectively by Fisher exact test).
CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that there is no major effect of 5-HTT gene polymorphisms on the susceptibility to major depressions, while antidepressant nonresponding is related with genotypic alteration in 5-HTT gene.

Keyword

Serotonin transporter; Polymorphism; Major depresssion; Antidepressant

MeSH Terms

Alleles
Antidepressive Agents
Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic
Depression*
DNA
Gene Frequency
Humans
Introns
Neurons
Promoter Regions, Genetic
Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid
Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins*
Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors
Serotonin*
Synaptic Transmission
Antidepressive Agents
Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic
DNA
Serotonin
Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors