Serotonin transporter gene polymorphism modulates inflammatory cytokine responses during acute stress.
Cytokines are important mediators of various stress-related modulations of immune function. A major genetic factor determining inter-individual differences in stress reactivity is polymorphisms of the serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5HT) transporter (5HTT) gene. A short (S) variant, compared with a long (L) variant, of the promoter region of the 5HTT gene-linked polymorphic region (5HTTLPR) has been related to emotional and stress hyper-reactivity. The present study examined whether the 5HTTLPR can modulate responses of inflammatory cytokines under acute stress. Nine Japanese male participants carrying two copies of the S alleles and nine Japanese males carrying S and L alleles underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Inflammatory cytokines, endocrine parameters, heart rate and subjective stress were measured before, during and after the task. The participants carrying the SS alleles, but not those carrying the SL alleles, showed a significant increase of IL-1β immediately after TSST. This hyper-reactivity to acute stress in individuals with the SS alleles was also observed in their heart rate and cortisol levels. These results suggest that the S allele of the 5HTTLPR is consistently associated with stress reactivity in multi-level stress-related biological systems.
Department of Psychology, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Aichi, Japan.|Department of Psychology, School of Humanities, Tokaigakuen University, Aichi, Japan.
Kaori
K
Yamakawa
Department of Health and Psychosocial Medicine, School of Medicine, Aichi Medical University, Aichi, Japan.
Masahiro
M
Matsunaga
School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Mie University, Mie, Japan.
Tokiko
T
Isowa
Department of Psychology, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Aichi, Japan.
Hideki
H
Ohira
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins