No association between the serotonin transporter-linked promoter region polymorphism and either schizophrenia or density of the serotonin transporter in human hippocampus.
BACKGROUND
Allelic association case-control analysis of a deletion/insertion polymorphism in the serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) has suggested associations with unipolar disorder, bipolar disorder, depression, and Alzheimer's disease. Moreover, the heterozygous long form of the 5-HTTLPR has been associated with increased levels of mRNA for the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) and increased serotonin uptake in lymphoblastic cell lines. This study attempts to determine whether there is an association between 5-HTTLPR genotype and schizophrenia or the binding of [3H]paroxetine to the human hippocampal 5-HTT.


METHODS
DNA from the cerebellum from 58 schizophrenic and 62 control subjects was used to genotype the 5-HTTLPR. In addition, the relationship between 5-HTTLPR genotype and the affinity and density of [3H]paroxetine binding to the hippocampal 5-HTT was assessed.


RESULTS
There were no associations between 5-HTTLPR allotype or genotype and/or the parameters of [3H]paroxetine binding to the hippocampal 5-HTT.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that 5-HTTLPR genotype neither confers an increased susceptibility for schizophrenia nor dictates the expression of the 5-HTT in the human hippocampus.
Naylor
L
L
Rebecca L. Cooper Research Laboratories, Molecular Schizophrenia Division, Mental Health Research Institute of Victoria, Parkville, Australia.
Dean
B
B
Pereira
A
A
Mackinnon
A
A
Kouzmenko
A
A
Copolov
D
D
D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005838:Genotype; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000378:metabolism*; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins