Tyrosine hydroxylase gene microsatellite polymorphism associated with insulin resistance in depressive disorder

A high association between type 2 diabetes mellitus and depressive illness has been reported. Insulin resistance during depressive illness might contribute to the linkage between depression and type 2 diabetes. To determine whether the genetic polymorphisms of the tyrosine hydroxylase ([TH] HUMTH01) and insulin (INS-VNTR) genes contribute to insulin resistance in depressive illness, we analyzed the association between the polymorphisms and insulin resistance in 41 Japanese patients with depressive disorder, 204 normal control subjects, 161 cohort subjects with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) and without depressive symptomatology, and 59 NGT subjects with depressive symptomatology. The depressive patients had a significantly lower insulin sensitivity index (SI) than the control subjects (P= .016). Depressive NGT subjects had a significantly higher homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) insulin resistance index [HOMA(R)] than the nondepressive NGT subjects (P < .0001). The depressive patients and NGT subjects had more HUMTH01 allele 7 (TH7) than the controls and nondepressive NGT subjects. SI was significantly lower in patients with the TH7/7 homozygote versus patients with the other genotypes and the controls. TH7 was associated with higher HOMA(R) as compared with the other alleles in the NGT subjects. Insulin resistance was associated with depressive disorders. The HUMTH01 and INS-VNTR were associated with insulin resistance and depressive symptoms.