Biomaterial Database

Possible association of the short allele of the serotonin transporter promoter gene polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) with violent suicide. 2000

B Bondy, and A Erfurth, and S de Jonge, and M Krüger, and H Meyer

Psychiatric Hospital of University Munich, Nussaumstrasse 7, D-80336 Munich, Germany.

There is abundant evidence that the serotonin (5-HT) system is modulating mood and several behavioural traits and that disturbances in the regulation of this system can be associated with severe behavioural malfunctions, as aggressive implusive and suicidal behaviour.1 Recently a functional polymorphism in the promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) was identified2 and the presence of one or two short alleles was associated with anxiety-related personality traits3 and several psychiatric disturbances, such as affective disorder4 or severe alcohol dependence.5 With respect to the importance of the 5-HT transporter in serotonergic transmission, we have genotyped the DNA of 58 Caucasian suicide victims (with unknown psychiatric diagnoses) and 110 healthy controls for the biallelic functional polymorphism in the 5-HTTLPR. We found a highly significant increased frequency of suicide victims being carriers of one or two short alleles (Fisher's Exact Test, two sided, P = 0.0003), which suggests that a genetically altered protein function within the serotonergic pathway might be involved in suicidality, independently from the clinical diagnosis.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008562	Membrane Glycoproteins	Glycoproteins found on the membrane or surface of cells.	Cell Surface Glycoproteins,Surface Glycoproteins,Cell Surface Glycoprotein,Membrane Glycoprotein,Surface Glycoprotein,Glycoprotein, Cell Surface,Glycoprotein, Membrane,Glycoprotein, Surface,Glycoproteins, Cell Surface,Glycoproteins, Membrane,Glycoproteins, Surface,Surface Glycoprotein, Cell,Surface Glycoproteins, Cell
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D009419	Nerve Tissue Proteins		Proteins, Nerve Tissue,Tissue Proteins, Nerve
D011110	Polymorphism, Genetic	The regular and simultaneous occurrence in a single interbreeding population of two or more discontinuous genotypes. The concept includes differences in genotypes ranging in size from a single nucleotide site (POLYMORPHISM, SINGLE NUCLEOTIDE) to large nucleotide sequences visible at a chromosomal level.	Gene Polymorphism,Genetic Polymorphism,Polymorphism (Genetics),Genetic Polymorphisms,Gene Polymorphisms,Polymorphism, Gene,Polymorphisms (Genetics),Polymorphisms, Gene,Polymorphisms, Genetic
D012016	Reference Values	The range or frequency distribution of a measurement in a population (of organisms, organs or things) that has not been selected for the presence of disease or abnormality.	Normal Range,Normal Values,Reference Ranges,Normal Ranges,Normal Value,Range, Normal,Range, Reference,Ranges, Normal,Ranges, Reference,Reference Range,Reference Value,Value, Normal,Value, Reference,Values, Normal,Values, Reference
D002352	Carrier Proteins	Proteins that bind or transport specific substances in the blood, within the cell, or across cell membranes.	Binding Proteins,Carrier Protein,Transport Protein,Transport Proteins,Binding Protein,Protein, Carrier,Proteins, Carrier
D005260	Female		Females
D005838	Genotype	The genetic constitution of the individual, comprising the ALLELES present at each GENETIC LOCUS.	Genogroup,Genogroups,Genotypes
D005858	Germany	A country in central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark. The capital is Berlin.