HTR2C and HTR1A gene variants in German and Italian suicide attempters and completers

The serotonin 2C (HTR2C) and 1A (HTR1A) receptors have been involved in suicide-related behaviors. We studied gene variants of both receptors in suicide attempters and completers. The sample was composed of 167 German suicide attempters (affective spectrum n = 107, schizophrenia spectrum n = 35, borderline personality disorder n = 25), 92 Caucasian individuals who committed suicide, 312 German healthy subjects, 152 Italian suicide attempters (major depression n = 68 and bipolar disorder n = 84), and 131 Italian healthy volunteers. HTR2C (SNP: rs547536, rs2192372, rs6318, rs2428707, rs4272555, rs1801412) and HTR1A (SNP: rs1423691, rs878567, and rs6295) variants were analyzed in the German sample. HTR2C rs6318 and HTR1A rs6295 were analyzed in the Italian sample. Haplotype analysis in relation to suicidal behaviors did not reveal any significant association. Single markers and haplotypes were not or only marginally associated with other related features, such as violence of suicide attempt, family history for suicide attempt or State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI) and Questionnaire for Measuring Factors of Aggression (FAF) scores. In conclusion, our study does not support the notion that HTR2C and HTR1A gene variants are major contributors to suicide-, anger-, or aggression-related behaviors in our sample. (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.