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Serotonin transporter polymorphism and LDL-cholesterol

Molecular Psychiatry volume 11, pages 707–709 (2006)Cite this article

The short allele of the serotonin transporter polymorphism (5HTTLPR) has been linked to psychiatric disorders, including depression or anxiety. Our analyses concerning the impact of 5HTTLPR on late-onset depression in a large community-based age-cohort unexpectedly detected that 5HTTLPR strongly influences low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol levels.

The serotonin transporter (SERT) regulates the serotonergic system via modulation of extracellular fluid serotonin concentrations. Transcriptional activity of human SERT is modulated by a repetitive element of varying length, in the 5′ flanking region located ∼1.4 kb from the transcription start site, termed the serotonin transporter gene-linked polymorphic region (5HTTLPR). 5HTTLPR alleles are most commonly composed of either 14 (‘short’ allele S) or 16 (‘long’ allele L) repeated elements. The 5HTTLPR genotype distribution in a Caucasian population is 32% LL, 49% LS and 19% SS.1 The serotonin transporter may contribute to several disorders and most reports comprise neuropsychiatric phenotypes such as anxiety disorders, depression and bipolar disorder linked to the S allele.2 There are only a few examples of apparent SERT-related dysfunction in the periphery. Nevertheless, serotonin plays an important role outside the central nervous system, particularly in sustaining gastrointestinal function.3 Two studies found significantly greater risk for myocardial infarction in individuals with the LL genotype.4, 5 The latter findings remain unexplained.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of General Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna and Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Aging Research, Vienna, Austria

    P Fischer

  2. Institute of Clinical Neurochemistry and National Parkinson Foundation, Centre of Excellence, Laboratory, Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Bayerische, Julius-Maximilians-University of Würzburg, Wurzburg, Germany

    E Gruenblatt

  3. Center of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical University Vienna and Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Aging Research, Vienna, Austria

    P Pietschmann

  4. Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Aging Research, Vienna, Austria

    K-H Tragl

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  1. P Fischer
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  2. E Gruenblatt
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Correspondence to P Fischer.

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Fischer, P., Gruenblatt, E., Pietschmann, P. et al. Serotonin transporter polymorphism and LDL-cholesterol. Mol Psychiatry 11, 707–709 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4001837

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