Polymorphisms of the serotonin transporter gene and their relation to premature ejaculation in individuals from Iran.
This study tested whether individuals with at least 1 copy of the short (S) or long (L)(G) allele of the serotonin transporter gene-linked polymorphic region exhibit a greater incidence of premature ejaculation compared with L(A)L(A) individuals.



The serotonin transporter gene-linked polymorphic region was genotyped in 82 men with lifelong premature ejaculation and 82 age matched healthy controls. With respect to the serotonin transporter gene-linked polymorphic region we analyzed the data under the 3 models of 1) dominant S model (S/S + S/L(A) + S/L(G) + L(G)/L(G) + L(A)/L(G) vs L(A)/L(A)), 2) dominant L model (L(A)/L(A) + L(A)/L(G) + S/L(A) vs S/S + S/L(G) + L(G)/L(G)) and 3) genotype model (S/S + L(G)/L(G) + S/L(G) vs S/L(A) + L(A)/L(G) vs L(A)/L(A)).



The prevalence of the serotonin transporter gene-linked polymorphic region S/S genotype in patients with premature ejaculation was significantly higher than in the control group (p = 0.001). A significantly higher S allele frequency of the serotonin transporter gene-linked polymorphic region was noted in patients with premature ejaculation compared with that in controls (p = 0.001). In the patients with premature ejaculation the S allele frequency was 70.7% compared with 57.3% in the control group (p = 0.001). Individuals with at least 1 copy of the S allele at the serotonin transporter gene-linked polymorphic region experienced more premature ejaculation compared to those who were L(A) homozygotes (p = 0.001). The prevalence of the dominant S model and genotype model in patients with premature ejaculation was higher than in normal subjects (78% vs 65%, p = 0.02 and 51% vs 27%, p = 0.01). However, the differences were not statistically significant after applying the Bonferroni correction.



Our findings indicate that men who carry the serotonin transporter gene-linked polymorphic region S/S, L(G)/L(G) or S/L(G) genotype have increased odds of premature ejaculation. Further investigation in this interesting field is necessary.
Safarinejad
Mohammad Reza
MR
Urology and Nephrology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University (MC), Tehran, Iran. safarinejad@unrc.ir
D000328:Adult; D004542:Ejaculation; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000235:genetics*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins