Genetic variation in the serotonin receptor gene affects immune responses in rheumatoid arthritis

Genes Immun. 2013 Mar;14(2):83-9. doi: 10.1038/gene.2012.56. Epub 2012 Dec 20.

Abstract

Many genetic variants associate with the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA); however, their functional roles are largely unknown. Here, we aimed to investigate whether the RA-associated serotonin receptor 2A (HTR2A) haplotype affects T-cell and monocyte functions. Patients with established RA (n=379) were genotyped for two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the HTR2A locus, rs6314 and rs1328674, to define presence of the risk haplotype for each individual. Patients with and without the RA-associated TC haplotype were selected and T-cell and monocyte function was monitored following in vitro stimulations with staphylococcal enterotoxin B and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) using multiparameter flow cytometry. Within the cohort, 44 patients were heterozygous for the TC haplotype (11.6%) while none were homozygous. Upon stimulation, T cells from TC-carrier patients produced more proinflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-17 (IL-17) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ)) and monocytes produced higher levels of TNF-α compared with patients carrying the non-TC haplotype (P<0.05 and 0.01, respectively). Such cytokine production could be inhibited in the presence of the selective 5-HT2 receptor agonist (2,5-Dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine, DOI); interestingly, this effect was more pronounced in TC carriers. Our data demonstrate that association of RA with a distinct serotonin receptor haplotype has functional impact by affecting the immunological phenotype of T cells and monocytes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Amphetamines / pharmacology
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / genetics*
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / immunology*
  • Enterotoxins / immunology
  • Genetic Variation*
  • Genotype
  • Haplotypes
  • Humans
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism
  • Interleukin-17 / metabolism
  • Lipopolysaccharides / immunology
  • Middle Aged
  • Monocytes / immunology*
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
  • Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A / genetics*
  • Serotonin Receptor Agonists / pharmacology
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism

Substances

  • Amphetamines
  • Enterotoxins
  • Interleukin-17
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A
  • Serotonin Receptor Agonists
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • enterotoxin B, staphylococcal
  • Interferon-gamma
  • 4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenylisopropylamine