The polymorphisms in serotonin-related genes (5-HT₂A and SERT) and the prevalence of depressive symptoms in obese patients

Maciej Bieliński; Marta Tomaszewska; Marcin Jaracz; Joanna Pulkowska-Ulfig; Dominika Długosz; Marcin Sikora; Andrzej Tretyn; Anna Kamińska; Roman Junik; Alina Borkowska

doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2014.12.012

The polymorphisms in serotonin-related genes (5-HT₂A and SERT) and the prevalence of depressive symptoms in obese patients

Neurosci Lett. 2015 Jan 23:586:31-5. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2014.12.012. Epub 2014 Dec 5.

Affiliations

¹ Collegium Medicum of Nicolaus Copernicus University, Department of Clinical Neuropsychology, Bydgoszcz, Poland; Jan Biziel's University Hospital, Division of Vascular Diseases and Internal Medicine, Bydgoszcz, Poland. Electronic address: bielinskim@gmail.com.
² Collegium Medicum of Nicolaus Copernicus University, Department of Clinical Neuropsychology, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
³ Nicolaus Copernicus University, Department of Biotechnology, Toruń, Poland.
⁴ Collegium Medicum of Nicolaus Copernicus University, Department of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Bydgoszcz, Poland.

PMID: 25486590
DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2014.12.012

Abstract

As overweight and obesity are a growing problem in industrialized societies, they become a main focus of many studies. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is an association between the occurrence of polymorphisms in serotonin-related genes and the prevalence of depressive symptoms in obese patients. Two polymorphisms were tested: a 44-bp insertion/deletion in the serotonin transporter (SERT) gene and a single-nucleotide variation (1438G/A) in the serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2A) gene. The study involved 180 patients (41 men; 139 women) previously diagnosed as obese. All patients were subjected to clinical, biochemical, and neuropsychological evaluation and genotyping. Amplification of the gene fragments was obtained by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Products of the genotyping were separated via electrophoresis. The intensity of depressive symptoms was measured using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D). Clinically relevant depressive symptoms were diagnosed in 39% of subjects. The lowest intensities of depressive symptoms were ascertained in the group with the least advanced obesity, but this trend was statistically insignificant. Small differences were observed in obesity indicators among three groups of patients with various genotypes of the SERT gene, but these differences were also statistically insignificant. Furthermore, in the context of the intensity of depressive symptoms, no significant associations were observed in these two groups. Furthermore, no statistically significant differences were observed among specific obesity parameters and intensity of depressive symptoms as a function of the 5-HT2A gene polymorphism. To conclude, depressive symptoms were prevalent in obese participants: 39% of subjects experienced symptoms of clinical relevance. However, no significant associations were observed between 5-HT2A and SERT gene polymorphisms and depressive symptoms in this study group.

Keywords: BDI; Depression; HAM-D; Mann-Whitney U test; Obesity; R-Spearman test; Serotonergic system.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Depression / genetics*
Female
Genetic Association Studies
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Obesity / genetics*
Obesity / psychology
Polymorphism, Genetic
Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A / genetics*
Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / genetics*
Young Adult

Substances

Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A
Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins