Serotonin transporter gene polymorphism in irritable bowel syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
Serotonin is a key mediator of intestinal peristalsis, and after it is secreted, it is effectively cleansed from the neuronal gap by means of a high affinity substance called serotonin transporter (SERT), which depends on the Na+ and Cl- ions localized in the presynaptic neuronal membranes. The aim of this study was to investigate SERT polymorphism in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).


METHODS
SERT gene polymorphism was assessed by polymerase chain reaction on DNA chains obtained from leukocytes in serum samples from 54 patients diagnosed with IBS and 91 healthy subjects. The polymorphism of two regions (variable number tandem repeats and the SERT gene-linked polymorphic region [5-HTTLPR]) of SERT was assessed.


RESULTS
SERT polymorphisms were found to be similar in healthy subjects and IBS patients (p > 0.05). IBS patients were divided into three groups: diarrhea predominant (n = 18), constipation predominant (n = 26), and alternating diarrhea and constipation (n = 10). These groups were compared with respect to gene polymorphism, and it was found that the 5-HTTLPR allele S/S genotype occurred with greater frequency in the constipation predominant group than in the other two subgroups (p < 0.05), and L/S genotype frequency in the diarrhea predominant group was higher than those in the constipation and control groups.


CONCLUSIONS
No relationship was found between IBS and SERT gene polymorphism. It is conceivable that the presence of the S/S genotype in IBS patients carries an increased risk of the constipation predominant type of IBS, whereas the presence of the 5-HTTLPR allele L/S genotype carries an increased risk of the diarrhea predominant type.
Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Mersin, Turkey.
Cengiz
C
Pata
M Emin
ME
Erdal
Ebru
E
Derici
Aziz
A
Yazar
Arzu
A
Kanik
Oguz
O
Ulu
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D003109:Colonic Diseases, Functional / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D020080:Tandem Repeat Sequences
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins