Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci.  2015 Dec;13(3):250-255. 10.9758/cpn.2015.13.3.250.

Association between ABCB1 Polymorphisms and Antidepressant Treatment Response in Taiwanese Major Depressive Patients

• Chang HH
• Chou CH
• Yang YK
• Lee IH
• Chen PS

• KMID: 2171025
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.9758/cpn.2015.13.3.250

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The multidrug resistance 1 (ABCB1, MDR1) gene, encoding P-glycoprotein, is extensively distributed and expressed in various tissues, such as a blood-brain barrier transporter. P-glycoprotein plays an important role in controlling the passage of substances between the blood and brain. The current study aimed to investigate possible associations of functional ABCB1 polymorphisms (C3435T, G2677T and C1236T) with response to antidepressant treatment and serum cortisol levels in Taiwanese patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).
METHODS
We recruited 112 MDD patients who were randomized to fluoxetine (n=58, mean dose: 21.4+/-4.5 mg/day) or venlafaxine (n=54, 80.2+/-34.7 mg/day) treatment for 6 weeks. The 21-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) was administered initially and biweekly after treatment, and cortisol levels were assessed initially and after 6-week antidepressant treatment.
RESULTS
The initial HDRS scores and the HDRS scores after six weeks of antidepressant treatment were not significantly different among the different genotypes in each polymorphism of ABCB1. The percentage changes of HDRS scores over time were significantly different in the polymorphisms of ABCB1 G2677T (p=0.002). MDD patients with the G/G genotype of ABCB1 G2677T had a worse antidepressant treatment response. However, the polymorphisms of ABCB1 genotypes were not significantly associated with cortisol levels before and after antidepressant treatment in MDD patients.
CONCLUSION
The results suggested that the variants of ABCB1 may influence the short-term antidepressant response in MDD patients. Further details of the underlying mechanisms of ABCB1 in antidepressant treatment remain to be clarified.

Keyword

P-Glycoproteins; Antidepressive agents; Hydrocortisone; Major depressive disorder; Polymorphism

MeSH Terms

Antidepressive Agents
Blood-Brain Barrier
Brain
Depression
Depressive Disorder, Major
Drug Resistance, Multiple
Fluoxetine
Genotype
Humans
Hydrocortisone
P-Glycoprotein
P-Glycoproteins
Venlafaxine Hydrochloride
Antidepressive Agents
Fluoxetine
Hydrocortisone
P-Glycoprotein
P-Glycoproteins