Serotonin 2A receptor gene (HTR2A) polymorphism in alcohol-dependent patients.
BACKGROUND
The serotonergic (5-HT) dysfunction has been frequently described in subjects with alcohol dependence (AD). In the present study, a potential relationship between T102C polymorphism in the 5-HT receptor subtype 2Agene (HTR2A) and alcohol dependence was examined.


METHODS
Genotypes were analyzed in 150 AD patients diagnosed with DSM-IV criteria and in 80 healthy controls.


RESULTS
The genetic analysis showed that the frequency of 102C allele and C102C genotype in AD subjects was significantly higher than in controls. Moreover, AD patients homozygous for C allele had significantly lower age at onset of alcohol problems than subjects having at least one T allele.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest a potential role of the T102C HTR2A polymorphism in development of alcohol dependence.
Department of Pharmacogenomics, Medical University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 61, PL 02-091 Warszawa, Poland.
Małgorzata
M
Wrzosek
Andrzej
A
Jakubczyk
Michał
M
Wrzosek
Halina
H
Matsumoto
Jacek
J
Łukaszkiewicz
Kirk J
KJ
Brower
Marcin
M
Wojnar
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A / Q000235:genetics*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A; D004247:DNA