Serotonin transporter gene polymorphisms and SSRI tolerability: review of pharmacogenetic evidence.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are first-line pharmacotherapy for mood and anxiety disorders. The common mechanism of drugs in this class is antagonism of the serotonin transporter. Within the serotonin transporter gene SLC6A4, two polymorphic sites termed 5-HTTLPR and STin2 are proposed to have functional consequences and thus have been attractive candidates for pharmacogenetic studies of SSRI efficacy and tolerability. This review summarizes approximately 15 years of study of these polymorphisms as they relate to SSRI tolerability phenotypes. Four online databases (PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, PsycINFO, and PharmGKB) were searched for articles on polymorphisms of SLC6A4 including 5-HTTLPR and STin2 by using a systematic approach. Specific and general psychopharmacology terms, along with adverse effect and tolerability concepts, added to the search strategy. The Human Gene Mutation Database was checked for additional references. Forty studies met the inclusion criteria. While null and occasionally opposite associations are reported, the low expression 5-HTTLPR S allele is generally associated with greater adverse drug reaction burden during SSRI therapy. The most convincing evidence is in studies of antidepressant-induced mania and gastrointestinal adverse events. Studies of STin2 are sparse and have conflicting findings. In conclusion, the S allele of 5-HTTLPR may be predictive of increased adverse event burden, and this effect appears specific to certain classes of adverse events. Limitations and challenges in interpreting this body of evidence include assay errors, dissimilar grouping of genotypes, the role of ethnicity in associations, and study methodological differences. The clinical utility of serotonin transporter genotypes is not yet delineated but will ultimately depend on genotypic effects on both tolerability and efficacy of SSRIs.