Serotonin transporter gene and response to lithium augmentation in depression.

Background: The serotonin (5-HT) transporter gene-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) is associated with better response to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in Caucasian patients carrying the long (l)-allele. In contrast, augmentation of antidepressant drugs with pindolol has been shown to improve responsiveness to antidepressants in short (s)-allele carriers. Lithium augmentation is a well-established strategy for overcoming treatment resistance.

Investigation of the association between 5-HT3A receptor gene polymorphisms and efficiency of antiemetic treatment with 5-HT3 receptor antagonists.

Objectives: Acute cytostatic drug induced nausea and vomiting is provoked by a release of endogenous serotonin that mediates its effect by binding to the 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 (5-HT3) receptors. The most effective antiemetic drugs are the 5-HT3 receptor antagonists. Nevertheless about 30% of the patients do not respond satisfactorily.

Variations in the 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3B receptor gene as predictors of the efficacy of antiemetic treatment in cancer patients.

Purpose: Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 [5-HT3]) receptor antagonists have substantially reduced but not eliminated nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy. They act through specific binding to the 5-HT3A, 5-HT3B receptor complex. The 5-HT3B subunit seems to be most important for its functionality.

Patient-tailored antiemetic treatment with 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 receptor antagonists according to cytochrome P-450 2D6 genotypes.

Purpose: The use of serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 receptor antagonists has substantially reduced, but not eliminated, nausea and vomiting in cancer chemotherapy. This study sought to investigate whether efficacy of antiemetic treatment with ondansetron and tropisetron depends on cytochrome P-450 2D6 (CYP2D6) genotype, hypothesizing that the rapid and particularly the ultrarapid metabolizers of these drugs are at risk of being undertreated.

Patients And Methods: Included in the study were 270 cancer patients receiving their first day of chemotherapy.

Validity of PCR with emphasis on variable number of tandem repeat analysis.

Objectives: Variable number of tandem repeat polymorphisms (VNTR) are frequently analyzed by PCR in genetic, epidemiologic and forensic studies. We wanted to explore the validity of these PCR analyses.

Design And Methods: The amplification of the different alleles of the 17- and the 44-bp VNTR of the serotonin transporter gene and the 39-bp VNTR of the glycoprotein Ibalpha gene was analyzed.

Simultaneous determination of ondansetron and tropisetron in human plasma using HPLC with UV detection.

A rapid and sensitive HPLC method for the simultaneous quantitation of ondansetron and tropisetron, two serotonin (5-HT) receptor antagonists frequently used in treatment and prevention of nausea and emesis, is described. The procedure involves liquid-liquid extraction of human plasma with dichloromethane coupled with reversed-phase HPLC and UV detection. The lower limits of quantification (LOQ) were 0.

Correlation between serotonin uptake in human blood platelets with the 44-bp polymorphism and the 17-bp variable number of tandem repeat of the serotonin transporter.

Dysfunctions of the central serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) system seem to be associated with psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia or depression. Previous studies suggested that a 44-bp insertion/deletion polymorphism of the 5-HT transporter (5-HTT) promoter region might influence the transcriptional activity of the 5-HTT gene, and the insertion variant resulted in increased 5-HTT expression and 5-HT uptake. Moreover, a 17-bp variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism of the second intron may act as a transcriptional regulator with allele dependent differential enhancer-like properties.