Monoamine metabolites level in CSF is related to the 5-HTT gene polymorphism in treatment-resistant depression

Neuropsychopharmacology. 2007 Oct;32(10):2143-51. doi: 10.1038/sj.npp.1301336. Epub 2007 Feb 14.

Abstract

The serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) transporter (5-HTT) is considered to affect the pathogenesis of mood disorders. Large number of genetic association studies between 5-HTT functional polymorphisms and vulnerability of mood disorders and therapeutic response to antidepressants has been carried out. We investigated the influence of 5-HTT-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) and 5-HTT 17 bp variable number of tandem repeat polymorphism (5-HTTVNTR) polymorphisms on concentrations of monoamine metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) among treatment-resistant patients with mood disorders. Subjects were 119 Swedish patients with persistent mood disorders and 141 healthy subjects. In 112 of these patients, we measured 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), homovanillic acid (HVA), and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol in CSF. Genotyping for 5-HTT polymorphisms from genomic DNA was carried out by PCR. There was no significant difference in allele/genotype frequency between patients and healthy subjects. In patients with mood disorders, we found significant difference in mean 5-HIAA concentration between 5-HTTLPR genotypes (p=0.03). Although the 5-HIAA concentration showed a tendency to be higher in short (S) carriers than in non-S carriers of the 5-HTTLPR in patients (p=0.06), when considering patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), the 5-HIAA concentration was significantly higher among S carriers than among non-S carriers (p=0.02). Moreover, the 5-HIAA concentration was higher in S/S subjects compared to long (L)/L (p=0.0001) and L/S (p=0.002) subjects in patients with MDD. Similarly, there was higher HVA concentration in S/S subjects compared to L/L (p=0.002) and L/S subjects (p=0.002). There was no effect of 5-HTTVNTR. Our findings show that the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism affects 5-HIAA and HVA concentrations among treatment-resistant patients with mood disorders.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Biogenic Monoamines / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Brain Chemistry / genetics
  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • Depressive Disorder / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Depressive Disorder / genetics*
  • Depressive Disorder / physiopathology
  • Drug Resistance / genetics*
  • Female
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease / genetics*
  • Genetic Testing
  • Genotype
  • Homovanillic Acid / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Humans
  • Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Male
  • Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / analogs & derivatives
  • Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Middle Aged
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Polymorphism, Genetic / genetics*
  • Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / genetics*
  • Tandem Repeat Sequences / genetics
  • Up-Regulation / physiology

Substances

  • Biogenic Monoamines
  • Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
  • 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol sulfate
  • Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol
  • Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid
  • Homovanillic Acid