A serotonin transporter gene promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) and prefrontal cortical binding in major depression and suicide.
BACKGROUND
Major depression and suicide are associated with fewer serotonin transporter (5-HTT) sites. The 5'-flanking promoter region of the 5-HTT gene has a biallelic insertion/deletion (5-HTTLPR). We assayed prefrontal cortical (PFC) 5-HTT binding in major depression and suicide and examine the relationship to the 5-HTTLPR allele.


METHODS
Postmortem brain samples from 220 individuals were genotyped for the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism. Binding of 5-HTT was assayed by quantitative autoradiography in the PFC of a subset of subjects (n = 159). Clinical information, including DSM-III-R Axis I diagnoses, was obtained by psychological autopsy and medical chart review.


RESULTS
Binding to 5-HTT was lower in the ventral PFC of suicides compared with nonsuicides and was lower throughout the PFC of subjects with a history of major depression. The 5-HTTLPR genotype was associated with major depression but not with suicide or 5-HTT binding.


CONCLUSIONS
A diffuse reduction of 5-HTT binding in the PFC of individuals with major depression may reflect a widespread impairment of serotonergic function consistent with the range of psychopathologic features in major depression. The localized reduction in 5-HTT binding in the ventral PFC of suicides may reflect reduced serotonin input to that brain region, underlying the predisposition to act on suicidal thoughts. The 5-HTTLPR genotype was not related to the level of 5-HTT binding and does not explain why 5-HTT binding is lower in major depression or suicide. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2000;57:729-738
Department of Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York 10032, USA.
J J
JJ
Mann
Y Y
YY
Huang
M D
MD
Underwood
S A
SA
Kassir
S
S
Oppenheim
T M
TM
Kelly
A J
AJ
Dwork
V
V
Arango
D000328:Adult; D001345:Autoradiography; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D012737:Sex Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D012701:Serotonin