Evaluation of Genetic Variations in Organic Cationic Transporter 3 in Depressed and Nondepressed Subjects

Abstract EN

Organic cationic transporter 3 (OCT3, SLS22A3) has only recently emerged as one of the regulators of monoaminergic neurotransmission, which plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of depression and is a potential new antidepressant drug target.

OCT3 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been investigated for their association with psychiatric disorders such as methamphetamine use disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder in children and adolescents, but not depression.

This study was designed to evaluate the allele frequencies of seven OCT3 SNPs in a US Caucasian depressed population and compare these frequencies with a control group of nondepressed subjects.

Informed consent and a DNA sample were obtained from 157 subjects and analysis was performed using real-time PCR.

Allele and genotype frequencies were compared using a t-test and the Pearson chi-square analysis, respectively.

There were no significant differences in OCT3 allele or genotype frequencies between the depressed and non-depressed groups for all seven SNPs evaluated.