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Published on: March 2, 2015
The N251K functional polymorphism in the alpha(2A)-adrenoceptor gene is not associated with depression: a study in
Idoia Martín-Guerrero1, Luis F Callado, Koldo Saitua
1Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology and Animal Physiology, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain.
Rationale:
alpha(2A)-Adrenoceptor up-regulation and supersensitivity have been described in the postmortem brains of depressed suicide victims and in the platelets of depressed subjects. The C to G transversion at nucleotide 753 (Asn to Lys change at amino acid 251 or N251K) is a low-frequency polymorphism of the alpha(2A)-adrenoceptor gene that results in a gain-of-function phenotype. A previous study has suggested an association between completed suicide and this polymorphism.
Objectives:
The single functional polymorphism N251K was tested in a large sample (n=214) of completed suicides, controlling for the antemortem psychiatric diagnosis, and matched controls (n=176).
Methods:
Postmortem brain DNA was extracted and the alpha(2A)-adrenoceptor gene fragment was amplified by polymerase chain reaction, followed by a StyI restriction endonuclease digestion. Amplified products were sequenced to confirm the presence of the alpha(2A)-adrenoceptor gene fragment where the polymorphism is located.
Results:
The N251K polymorphism was absent in both suicide victim and control groups. No association between the polymorphism and suicide or depression was established.
Conclusions:
The N251K polymorphism does not represent a genetic factor to explain the alpha(2A)-adrenoceptor hyperactivity in the brains of depressed suicide victims. Association between suicide and this polymorphism was not replicated.
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