Association between suicide attempts and 5-HTTLPR-S-allele in alcohol-dependent and control subjects: further evidence from a German alcohol-dependent inpatient sample.
BACKGROUND
Genetically-mediated alterations in serotonergic transmission have been implicated in both the pathogenesis of alcoholism and suicidal behavior. Thus, the identification of vulnerability genes could uncover pathophysiological links for both syndromes. A significant association between suicide attempts and the 5-HTT promoter polymorphisms (5-HTTLPR) S-allele has been reported in a sample of French alcohol-dependent subjects, and this paper evaluates this phenomenon in a German sample.


METHODS
One hundred and sixty-three patients meeting DSM-IV criteria for alcohol dependence and 117 healthy controls were investigated. Blood samples were taken to genotype the 5-HTTLPR by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of lymphocyte DNA.


RESULTS
5-HTTLPR-S alleles were seen more frequently in suicidal compared to nonsuicidal alcohol-dependent subjects. Furthermore, significant effects from suicide attempts on the number of S-alleles were found.


CONCLUSIONS
The results are consistent with an association between the 5-HTTLPR-S-allele and suicide attempts in alcohol-dependent subjects.
Preuss
U W
UW
Psychiatrische Klinik und Poliklinik, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München, Germany.
Koller
G
G
Soyka
M
M
Bondy
B
B
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D000483:Alleles; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002886:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 17; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; 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 / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology*
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins