title: Serotonin transporter gene polymorphisms: effect on serotonin transporter availability in the brain of suicide attempters.
abstract: The efficacy of serotonin reuptake inhibitors in depression and anxiety disorders suggests the gene coding for the serotonin transporter (5-HTT), SLC6A4, as a candidate of importance for these conditions. Positive findings regarding associations between polymorphisms in SLC6A4 have been reported, indicating that these polymorphisms may influence anxiety-related personality traits, as well as the risk of developing depression and suicidality. Serotonin 5-HTT availability was assessed with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), using (123)I-beta-CIT as ligand, in a population of unmedicated male suicide attempters (n=9) and in matched controls (n=9). Two polymorphisms in SLC6A4 were assessed, including the 5-HTTLPR located in the promoter region and a variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism in intron 2 (STin2). In suicide attempters, but not in controls, low 5-HTT availability was associated with the S allele of 5-HTTLPR and with the 12 repeat allele of STin2. Data suggest that polymorphisms in SLC6A4 may influence the expression of the brain serotonin transporter in suicide attempters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Sweden. jessica.bah@pharm.gu.se
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bah
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lindström
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Westberg
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mannerås
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ryding
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Henningsson
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Melke
authors.forename: Ingmar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rosén
authors.forename: Lil
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Träskman-Bendz
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eriksson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000235:genetics*; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology*; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
chemical_list: C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins