title: Serotonin transporter polymorphisms: no association with response to antipsychotic treatment, but associations with the schizoparanoid and residual subtypes of schizophrenia.
abstract: The human serotonin transporter gene (5-HTT) demonstrates two polymorphisms with possible functional impact: a 44-bp insertion/deletion polymorphism of the promoter region and a 17-bp variable number of tandem repeat polymorphism (VNTR) in intron 2 (STin2). Such genetic polymorphisms in the serotoninergic system may increase the susceptibility to schizophrenia or may serve as predictors of therapeutic response. We therefore analyzed these polymorphisms as susceptibility factors for schizophrenia by comparison of 684 schizophrenic inpatients with 587 healthy controls. We furthermore compared the therapeutic outcome of schizophrenic patients differentiated by the 5-HTT genotypes. Schizo-affective patients were more frequently homozygous for the 44-bp insertion allele (Odds ratio, OR: 1.6, 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.1--2.3, P < 0.03) than were all other schizophrenic patients and controls. The 17-bp VNTR alleles found were: STin2.7, 9, 10, and 12. Sequence analysis revealed seven different sequence motifs with an invariable arrangement. Patients with schizo-paranoid schizophrenia were more frequently homozygous for the STin2.12 allele than were controls (OR: 1.4, CI: 1.1--1.8, P < 0.007) and all other schizophrenic patients (OR: 1.6, CI: 1.2--2.3). The STin2.9 allele represented a risk factor for the residual subtype of schizophrenia (OR: 6.4, CI: 2.5--16.2, P < 0.001). On the basis of global clinical impressions, as well as measurements with the positive and negative syndrome scale we found no association of the polymorphisms with therapeutic response. In conclusion, the 44-bp polymorphism may be associated with the schizo-affective and the 17-bp VNTR with the residual and schizo-paranoid subtype of schizophrenia, findings which require further biochemical and epidemiological confirmation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Universitätsklinikum Charité, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, D-10098 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaiser
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Tremblay
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmider
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Henneken
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dettling
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Müller-Oerlinghausen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Uebelhack
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Roots
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brockmöller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D012563:Schizophrenia, Paranoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics*; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins