title: Serotonin transporter gene polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) in patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Considerable evidence indicates that serotonergic mechanisms, particularly the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) may be involved in psychological alterations. Recent findings have demonstrated that depression and stress are influenced by polymorphism of the promoter region of 5-HTT (5-HTTLPR) and that the short allele (S) is associated with reduced transcriptional efficiency resulting in reduced serotonin expression and uptake. As psychological and genetic factors have been implicated in the pathogenesis of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), the purpose of the present study was to investigate 5-HTTLPR polymorphism in patients with RAS compared with control subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-nine consecutive subjects affected by minor and major forms of RAS and 70 healthy volunteers were genotyped at 5-HTTLPR. The chi-square test was used for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant increase in the genotype of SS (P = 0.05) and of the allele S (P = 0.04) in the group of RAS were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings demonstrate that RAS patients have a tendency to show polymorphism associated with anxiety-related traits.
authors.affiliation: Department and Oral Surgery and Pathology, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antonio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte-MG, CEP 31270-901 Brazil.
authors.forename: Junia Maria Netto
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Victoria
authors.forename: Jeane de Fátima
authors.initials: Jde F
authors.lastname: Correia-Silva
authors.forename: Flávio Juliano
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Pimenta
authors.forename: Evanguedes
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kalapothakis
authors.forename: Ricardo Santiago
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Gomez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012701:Serotonin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D013281:Stomatitis, Aphthous / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D012701:Serotonin