Serotonin Receptor 2A (HTR2A) Gene Polymorphisms Are Associated with Blood Pressure, Central Adiposity, and the Metabolic Syndrome

Abstract

Background-Although the etiology of the metabolic syndrome remains unclear, recent evidence suggests that dysregulation of brain serotonergic activity may partly underlie the covariation of risk factors comprising the syndrome. In addition, prior studies have shown polymorphisms in the serotonin 2A receptor (HTR2A) gene to be associated with two syndrome components, hypertension and central adiposity. We conducted a study to confirm associations of HTR2A polymorphisms with elevated blood pressure and central adiposity and tested for association between these polymorphisms and the metabolic syndrome.

Divergent Effects of Genetic Variation in Endocannabinoid Signaling on Human Threat- and Reward-Related Brain Function

“…Consistent with analyses in the parent study from which our subjects were recruited (30), we used the program STRUCTURE (31) to evaluate presence of genetic substructure in the sample using 15 ancestry informative markers (see supplementary materials for details).…”

Reported early family environment covaries with menarcheal age as a function of polymorphic variation in estrogen receptor-α

“…The AHAB project provides a registry of behavioral and biological measurements on midlife community volunteers recruited via mass-mail solicitation from communities of southwestern Pennsylvania (principally Allegheny County). Registry data include sociodemographic measurements; indices of personality and temperament; psychiatric history and symptomatology; aspects of social and cognitive functioning (e.g, social networks, cognitive abilities); health-impairing attributes of habit and lifestyle; physiological measurements germane to cardiovascular, autonomic, metabolic, immune, and central nervous system functioning; and DNA extracted for the study of genetic variation associated with registry phenotypes (Cf., Bleil, Gianaros, Jennings, Flory & Manuck, 2008; Halder, Muldoon, Ferrell & Manuck, 2007; Halder, Marsland, Cheong, Muldoon, Ferrell & Manuck, 2010; Hall, Muldoon, Jennings, Buyssee, Flory & Manuck, 2008; Manuck, Phillips, Gianaros, Flory & Muldoon, 2010). AHAB participants were 30–54 years of age, with no clinical history of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney or liver disease, cancer treatment within the preceding year, or major neurologic disorders, schizophrenia, or other psychotic illness.…”

Serotonin and Blood Pressure Regulation

“…Other 5-HT 2A receptor antagonists such as ritanserin and 6-methyl-1-(1-methylethyl)ergoline-8â -carboxylic acid 2-hydroxy-1-methylpropyl ester (LY53857) have not proven effective in reducing blood pressure (Cohen et al, 1983b;Gradin et al, 1985;Dalton et al, 1986;Nelson et al, 1987;Frishman et al, 1988;Stott et al, 1988;Docherty, 1989), making the effect of 5-HT on blood pressure equivocal. In the human, one report suggests that polymorphism of the 5-HT 2A receptor is associated with elevation of blood pressure (Halder et al, 2007), but the mechanism of contribution of this polymorphism to blood pressure is not understood.…”