title: Suicide attempts and the tryptophan hydroxylase gene.
abstract: Tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) is the rate-limiting enzyme of serotonin synthesis. In this case-control study, we investigated whether the TPH gene was a susceptibility factor for suicidal behavior. Seven polymorphisms spanning the entire gene were studied in a case-control study including 231 individuals who had attempted suicide and 281 controls. Significant associations were found between variants in introns 7, 8 and 9 (chi(2) = 11.2, df = 1, P< 0.0008 for the allele distribution; these loci are in complete linkage disequilibrium) and in the 3' noncoding region (chi(2) = 30.94, P = 0.0014) and suicide attempt. The association was strongest for subjects who had attempted suicide by violent means and who had a history of major depression. No significant association was observed between suicide attempts and polymorphisms in the promoter, intron 1 and intron 3. The results presented here, and those of previous studies, suggest that a genetic variant of the 3' part of the TPH gene may be a susceptibility factor for a phenotype combining suicidal behavior, mood disorder and impulsive aggression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Carémeau Hospital, Nîmes, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abbar
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Courtet
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bellivier
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leboyer
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Boulenger
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Castelhau
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lambercy
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mouthon
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paoloni-Giacobino
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vessaz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malafosse
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buresi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D013406:Suicide, Attempted; D014365:Tryptophan Hydroxylase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014754:Violence
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D014365:Tryptophan Hydroxylase