Epigenetic Changes of Serotonin Transporter in the Patients with Alcohol Dependence: Methylation of an Serotonin Transporter Promoter CpG Island
- ByungYang Park BoungChul Lee KyoungHwa Jung MyungHun Jung ByungLae Park YoungGyu Chai IhnGeun Choi
- 대한신경정신의학회
- Psychiatry Investigation
- 제8권 제2호
- 등재여부 : KCI등재
- 2011.06
- 130 - 133 (4 pages)
Objective-Psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety and alcohol dependence are associated with serotonin metabolism. We assessed the methylation level of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) promoter region in control and alcohol dependent patients. Methods-Twenty seven male patients who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder IV (DSM-IV) criteria for alcohol dependence were compared with fifteen controls. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays of bisulfate-modified DNA were designed to amplify a part of the CpG island in the 5HTT gene. Pyrosequencing was performed and the methylation level at seven CpG island sites was measured. Results-We found no differences in the methylation patterns of the serotonin transporter linked promoter region (5-HTTLPR) between alcohol-dependent and control subjects. Conclusion-Our negative finding may be because 5-HTT epigenetic variation may not affect the expression for 5-HTT or there may be other methylation site critical for its expression. To find out more conclusive result, repeating the study in more methylation sites with a larger number of samples in a well-controlled setting is needed.
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