The lack of genotype-phenotype relationship between platelet serotonin concentration and serotonin transporter gene promoter polymorphism in healthy subjects

Neurosci Lett. 2009 Oct 2;462(1):45-8. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2009.06.080. Epub 2009 Jun 30.

Abstract

A polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) is frequently studied for association with antidepressant treatment response, different personality traits, and psychiatric disorders. Baseline platelet serotonin (5-HT) concentration has been proposed to indicate a good or a poor treatment response to antidepressant drugs and to be associated with particular symptoms in psychiatric disorders. The aim of the study was to elucidate the genotype-phenotype relationship between platelet 5-HT concentration and 5-HTTLPR in healthy subjects. The frequency of 5-HTTLPR genotypes and alleles, as well as platelet 5-HT concentration was evaluated in 434 male and 86 female unrelated healthy medication-free Caucasian subjects of Croatian origin. A two-way ANOVA revealed no significant difference in platelet 5-HT concentration subdivided according to the particular 5-HTTLPR genotype, no significant effect of sex, no significant effect of genotype, and no significant interaction between sex and genotype on platelet 5-HT concentration. In addition, one-way ANOVA did not detect significant effects of homozygous S/S genotype, or homozygous L/L genotype on platelet 5-HT concentration. Our results showed a lack of significant association between platelet 5-HT concentration and 5-HTTLPR variants, suggesting that there is no functional relationship between 5-HTTLPR alleles and platelet 5-HT concentration in the large groups of healthy male and female medication-free Caucasian subjects, free of neuro-psychiatric disorders.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Blood Platelets / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Gene Frequency
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Phenotype
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic*
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Serotonin / blood*
  • Serotonin / metabolism
  • Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / genetics*
  • Sex Characteristics

Substances

  • SLC6A4 protein, human
  • Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Serotonin