Yao Yao1, Yueqiang Wen1, Tingfu Du2, Ning Sun3, Hong Deng4, Joanne Ryan5, Shuquan Rao6. 1. Department of Fundamental Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China. 2. Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Kunming 650031, China. 3. Department of Psychiatry, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China. 4. Mental Health Center, Huaxi Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China. 5. Disease Epigenetics Group, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute & Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia; Inserm, U1061, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France. 6. School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China. Electronic address: raoshuquantongji@163.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most prevalent psychiatric illnesses with heritability of up to 38%. The fat mass- and obesity-associated (FTO) gene, in particular the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs9939609, has been identified as a genetic risk loci associated with MDD. However, most prior studies have involved European and American populations. Whether rs9939609 is an true risk SNP for MDD in Asian populations remains inconclusive. METHODS: In the present study, we conducted a meta-analysis of the association between rs9939609 and MDD in Asian populations by combining 5 available case-control samples totaling 6531 cases and 12,359 controls. RESULTS: Our meta-analysis suggests that rs9939609 is not a risk SNP for MDD in Asian populations by fixed effect model (Z=1.04, P=0.30, OR=0.96, 95% CI=0.90-1.03). LIMITATIONS: The age distribution and gender ratios were not matched well in the combined samples of cases and controls. Publication bias might be also considered with only a relatively small number of association studies of FTO rs9939609 with MDD in Asian populations. CONCLUSIONS: The absence of association of rs9939609 with MDD in our Asian populations suggests a potential genetic heterogeneity in the susceptibility of MDD on this locus.
BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most prevalent psychiatric illnesses with heritability of up to 38%. The fat mass- and obesity-associated (FTO) gene, in particular the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs9939609, has been identified as a genetic risk loci associated with MDD. However, most prior studies have involved European and American populations. Whether rs9939609 is an true risk SNP for MDD in Asian populations remains inconclusive. METHODS: In the present study, we conducted a meta-analysis of the association between rs9939609 and MDD in Asian populations by combining 5 available case-control samples totaling 6531 cases and 12,359 controls. RESULTS: Our meta-analysis suggests that rs9939609 is not a risk SNP for MDD in Asian populations by fixed effect model (Z=1.04, P=0.30, OR=0.96, 95% CI=0.90-1.03). LIMITATIONS: The age distribution and gender ratios were not matched well in the combined samples of cases and controls. Publication bias might be also considered with only a relatively small number of association studies of FTOrs9939609 with MDD in Asian populations. CONCLUSIONS: The absence of association of rs9939609 with MDD in our Asian populations suggests a potential genetic heterogeneity in the susceptibility of MDD on this locus.