Possible association between –G308A tumour necrosis... : Psychiatric Genetics (original) (raw)

BRIEF REPORTS

Possible association between –G308A tumour necrosis factor-α gene polymorphism and major depressive disorder in the Korean population

Jun, Tae-Youna; Pae, Chi-Unb; Hoon-Han, c; Chae, Jeong-Hoa; Bahk, Won-Myonga; Kim, Kwang-Sooa; Serretti, Alessandrod

aDepartment of Psychiatry, St Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

bDepartment of Psychiatry, Kangnam St Mary' Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

cDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

dDepartment of Psychiatry, Vita-Salute University, San Raffaele Institute, Milan, Italy

Sponsorship: This study was supported by a grant of the Korea Health 21 R & D project (02-PJ1-PG3-20506-0001), Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea.

Correspondence to Chi-Un Pae, Department of Psychiatry, Kangnam St Mary' Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, 505 Banpo-Dong, Seocho-Gu, Seoul 137-701, Korea.

Tel: +82 2 590 1532; fax: +82 2 594 3870; e-mail: [email protected]

Received 22 October 2002 Accepted 27 November 2002

Abstract

Objective

The present study was aimed at examining the association between the –G308A tumour necrosis factor-α gene polymorphism and major depressive disorder (MDD) in the Korean population.

Methods

One hundred and eight in-patients with MDD and 125 healthy controls participated in this study. Genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism.

Results

Genotype and allele distributions in patients with MDD (_P_=0.024 and _P_=0.0125, respectively), were significantly different from those of the controls. In particular, subjects with MDD had an increased frequency of the TNF2 (A) allele.

Conclusion

The present study suggests that the –G308A tumour necrosis factor-α gene polymorphism may have a potential role for susceptibility to MDD in the Korean population.