Meta-analysis indicates that SNP rs9939609 within FTO is not associated with major depressive disorder (MDD) in Asian...

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most prevalent psychiatric illnesses with heritability of up to 38%. The fat mass- and obesity-associated (FTO) gene, in particular the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs9939609, has been identified as a genetic risk loci associated with MDD. However, most prior studies have involved European and American populations. Whether rs9939609 is an true risk SNP for MDD in Asian populations remains inconclusive.

In the present study, we conducted a meta-analysis of the association between rs9939609 and MDD in Asian populations by combining 5 available case-control samples totaling 6531 cases and 12,359 controls.

Our meta-analysis suggests that rs9939609 is not a risk SNP for MDD in Asian populations by fixed effect model (Z=1.04, P=0.30, OR=0.96, 95% CI=0.90-1.03).

The age distribution and gender ratios were not matched well in the combined samples of cases and controls. Publication bias might be also considered with only a relatively small number of association studies of FTO rs9939609 with MDD in Asian populations.

The absence of association of rs9939609 with MDD in our Asian populations suggests a potential genetic heterogeneity in the susceptibility of MDD on this locus.