Tentative association of the serotonin transporter with schizophrenia and unipolar depression but not with bipolar disorder in Han Chinese.
The serotonin transporter gene (SERT) plays an important role in the serotonin uptake into neurons. Recently, several polymorphisms including a variable-number-tandem-repeat (VNTR) in the second intron and an insertion/deletion polymorphism (5-HTT linked polymorphic region, 5-HTTLPR) were identified and reported to be associated with a variety of mental illnesses, including major depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety-related traits, and autism. In our study, we performed an association study between the SERT VNTR polymorphism and schizophrenia (n = 260), bipolar disorder (n = 137), and unipolar depression (n = 33) in the Han Chinese. A large group of ethnically matched control individuals (n = 362) were also genotyped. Allele 12 of the VNTR polymorphism was associated with schizophrenia (P = 0.007) and unipolar depression (P = 0.011). Bipolar disorder was not associated with the VNTR (P = 0.93). Thus, we conclude that the SERT VNTR polymorphism may be a risk factor for both schizophrenia and unipolar depression, but not for bipolar disorder, in the Han Chinese.
Liu
W
W
Shanghai Institute of Physiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, People's Republic of China.
Gu
N
N
Feng
G
G
Li
S
S
Bai
S
S
Zhang
J
J
Shen
T
T
Xue
H
H
Breen
G
G
St Clair
D
D
He
L
L
D000483:Alleles; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D005006:Ethnicity; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; 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