title: No difference in 5-HTTLPR and Stin2 polymorphisms frequency between premature ejaculation patients and controls.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Premature ejaculation (PE) is defined as the inability of men to control ejaculation and it is the most prevalent male sexual dysfunction. The neurobiogenesis of ejaculation is very complex and involves the serotoninergic (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]) system. A genetic etiology of PE in humans was stated accounting for around 30%. Recently, genetic polymorphisms located on SLC6A4 gene codifying for 5-HT transporter (5-HTT or serotonin transporter [SERT]), the major regulator of serotonergic neurotransmission, have been linked with the pathogenesis of PE and associated with the clinical response to therapy with contrasting results.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In order to establish a possible pathogenetic link between PE and SLC6A4 polymorphisms, we analyzed the 5-HTT-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR), rs25531, and STin2 polymorphisms in 121 patients affected by lifelong and acquired PE.
  
  
  METHODS
  Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based technology followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intravaginal ejaculatory latency time was measured by stopwatch in order to diagnose PE, and the results of the SLC6A4 polymorphisms analysis in PE patients was compared with the control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Genotype frequencies for 5-HTTLPR, rs25531, and STin2 for both patients and controls showed no significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. No statistically significant differences were found in the frequency of SLC6A4 gene polymorphisms in PE patients vs. controls, or in lifelong PE patients vs. controls, or acquired PE patients vs. controls, or lifelong PE vs. acquired PE patients. The obtained data were contrasting with three out of four previously published reports.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results indicate that no difference exists in SLC6A4 polymorphisms frequency between PE patients and controls. A comparison with the previously published reports on this field is reported.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology, Microbiology and Medical Biotechnologies, Section of Clinical Pathology and Centre for Male Gamete Cryopreservation, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zuccarello
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghezzi
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pengo
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Forzan
authors.forename: Anna Chiara
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Frigo
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferlin
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Foresta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004542:Ejaculation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000235:genetics*; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000235:genetics*; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins