title: Prediction of level of serotonin 2A receptor binding by serotonin receptor 2A genetic variation in postmortem brain samples from subjects who did or did not commit suicide.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Postmortem studies have indicated that suicide victims have greater serotonin receptor 2A (5-HTR2A) binding in prefrontal brain regions. However, there remains some controversy regarding the biological specificity of these findings. The authors hypothesized that the variance observed in brain 5-HTR2A binding is genetically mediated, at least in part.
  
  
  METHODS
  Postmortem data from 56 subjects who had committed suicide and 126 normal comparison subjects were studied; brain tissue was available from 11 subjects who committed suicide and 11 comparison subjects. Homogenate binding assays were carried out with [3H]ketanserin. Variation at the 5-HTR2A gene (HTR2A) was investigated by means of two polymorphisms: T102C and A-1438G.
  
  
  RESULTS
  5-HTR2A binding was greater in the prefrontal cortex of the subjects who committed suicide. In addition, the findings suggest that HTR2A variation significantly affects 5-HTR2A binding. However, no interaction between suicidal behavior and this locus was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results confirm previous reports of greater 5-HTR2A binding in subjects who committed suicide; they also provide preliminary evidence suggesting that the number of 5-HTR2A receptors is genetically mediated.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Montreal General Hospital, McGill University, Canada. gustavo@bagel.epi.mcgill.ca
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Turecki
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brière
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dewar
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Antonetti
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Lesage
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Séguin
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chawky
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vanier
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alda
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Joober
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benkelfat
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Rouleau
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics*; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D007650:Ketanserin; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D016015:Logistic Models; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000737:chemistry*; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D007650:Ketanserin