Three polymorphisms of the eNOS gene and plasma levels of metabolites of nitric oxide in depressed Japanese patients: a preliminary report.
BACKGROUND
Depression is a risk factor for coronary heart disease. Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in both coronary heart disease and depression.


METHODS
Fifty-one inpatients and outpatients who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders--Fourth Edition criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD) in the university hospital of the University of Occupational and Environmental Health and 58 age-matched and sex-matched healthy controls enrolled in this study. We investigated the association between the three polymorphisms of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene (single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP); rs2070744, rs1799983, variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) in intron 4) and scores on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, plasma metabolites of NO (NO(x) ) or ankle brachial index in patients with MDD and healthy controls.


RESULTS
We did not find significant differences in the genotype distributions between patients with MDD and healthy volunteers. No associations were observed between any of the polymorphisms of the eNOS gene and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression or ankle brachial index in patients with MDD. However, plasma NO(x) level was significantly associated with a polymorphism of the eNOS gene (rs207044 and variable number tandem repeat in intron 4).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the direct association was not observed between the polymorphisms of the eNOS gene and the pathogenesis of depression.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Occupational and Environmental Health Japan, School of Medicine, Kitakyushu, Japan. atsuko-i@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp
Atsuko
A
Ikenouchi-Sugita
Reiji
R
Yoshimura
Taro
T
Kishi
Wakako
W
Umene-Nakano
Hikaru
H
Hori
Kenji
K
Hayashi
Asuka
A
Katsuki
Nobuhisa
N
Ueda
Nakao
N
Iwata
Jun
J
Nakamura
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D020080:Tandem Repeat Sequences; D055815:Young Adult
D009569:Nitric Oxide; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III