No association between oxytocin or prolactin gene variants and childhood-onset mood disorders.
BACKGROUND
Oxytocin (OXT) and prolactin (PRL) are neuropeptide hormones that interact with the serotonin system and are involved in the stress response and social affiliation. In human studies, serum OXT and PRL levels have been associated with depression and related phenotypes. Our purpose was to determine if single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at the loci for OXT, PRL and their receptors, OXTR and PRLR, were associated with childhood-onset mood disorders (COMD).


METHODS
Using 678 families in a family-based association design, we genotyped 16 SNPs at OXT, PRL, OXTR and PRLR to test for association with COMD.


RESULTS
No significant associations were found for SNPs in the OXTR, PRL, or PRLR genes. Two of three SNPs 3' of the OXT gene were associated with COMD (p≤0.02), significant after spectral decomposition, but were not significant after additionally correcting for the number of genes tested. Supplementary analyses of parent-of-origin and proband sex effects for OXT SNPs by Fisher's Exact test were not significant after Bonferroni correction.


CONCLUSIONS
We have examined 16 OXT and PRL system gene variants, with no evidence of statistically significant association after correction for multiple tests.
Strauss
John S
JS
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. john_strauss@camh.net
Freeman
Natalie L
NL
Shaikh
Sajid A
SA
Vetró
Agnes
A
Kiss
Eniko
E
Kapornai
Krisztina
K
Daróczi
Gabriella
G
Rimay
Timea
T
Kothencné
Viola Osváth
VO
Dombovári
Edit
E
Kaczvinszk
Emília
E
Tamás
Zsuzsa
Z
Baji
Ildikó
I
Besny
Márta
M
Gádoros
Julia
J
DeLuca
Vincenzo
V
George
Charles J
CJ
Dempster
Emma
E
Barr
Cathy L
CL
Kovacs
Maria
M
Kennedy
James L
JL
D000293:Adolescent; D017668:Age of Onset; D002648:Child; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011388:Prolactin / Q000235:genetics*; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin / Q000235:genetics; D011981:Receptors, Prolactin / Q000235:genetics
D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin; D011981:Receptors, Prolactin; D010121:Oxytocin; D011388:Prolactin