• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.179-186
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• 2015

Objectives Adrenergic alpha 1 and 2 receptors work as pathways to control the serotonergic neuron moderation and mirtazapine acts as antagonist of these receptors. The adrenoreceptor alpha 1a (ADRA1A) gene, which encodes adrenergic alpha 1 receptor, has Arg-347Cys genetic polymorphism and the polymorphism has strong relationship with many neuro-psychiatric diseases. In this study, we explored the relationship between ADRA1A R347C polymorphism and mirtazapine treatment response in Koreans with major depression. Methods 352 patients enrolled in this study, and the symptoms were evaluated by 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating (HAMD-17) scale. After 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks of mirtazapine treatment, the association between ADRA1A R347C polymorphism and remission/response outcomes was evaluated. Results Treatment response to mirtazapine was significantly better in T allele carriers than C allele homozygotes after 12 weeks of mirtazapine monotherapy. The percentile decline of HAMD-17 score in T allele carriers was larger than that of C allele homozygotes. ADRA1A R347C genotypes were not significantly associated with remission. Conclusions The result showed that treatment response to mirtazapine was significantly associated with ADRA1A R347C genetic polymorphism. T allele carriers showed better treatment response than C allele homozygotes. It can be supposed that T allele carriers have a trend of better treatment response to mirtazapine monotherapy.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.140-147
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• 2016

Objectives To determine the relationship between the Alu insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in the tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) gene and the clinical outcome of mirtazapine treatment in Korean major depressive disorder (MDD) patients. Methods We enrolled 422 patients in this study. Symptoms were evaluated using the 21-item Hamilton Depression Rating (HAMD-21) Scale. After 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks of mirtazapine treatment, the association between the Alu I/D polymorphism in the tPA gene and remission/response outcomes were evaluated. Results The proportion of I/I homozygotes in responders was higher than that in non-responders, whereas the proportion of D/D homozygotes in responders was lower than that in non-responders at 8 weeks of treatment (p = 0.032, OR = 1.57). The percentage decline of HAMD-21 scores in I allele carriers was larger than that of D/D homozygotes at 2 and 8 weeks of treatment (p = 0.035 and 0.007, respectively). I allele carriers were associated with remission at 8 weeks of treatment (p = 0.047, OR = 2.2). Conclusions These results show that treatment response and remission to mirtazapine were associated with the Alu I/D polymorphism of the tPA gene. This suggests the Alu I/D polymorphism may be a potential genetic marker for the prediction of therapeutic response to mirtazapine treatment in patients with MDD.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.346-353
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• 2009

Drug metabolism is a critical determinant of the therapeutic and adverse effects of many psychotropic drugs. The metabolism depends on the pharmacokinetics of a drug, which includes its absorption, distribution, and elimination. Psychotropic drugs are metabolized mainly by cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes; about 20 of these enzymes exist and they are often responsible for the rate-limiting step of drug metabolism. CYP2D6 is the best-characterized P450 enzyme that exhibits polymorphism in humans. This study determined the relationship between the CYP2D6*10 (P34S) polymorphism and the response to mirtazapine in 153 Koreans with major depressive disorder (MDD). The genotype frequencies were compared using logistic regression analysis, and between-genotype differences in the decrease in the 21-item Hamilton Depression (HAMD21) score over the 12-week treatment period were analyzed using a linear regression analysis. The proportion of remitters was lower in patients with MDD possessing the S allele than in P allele carriers after 2 weeks of mirtazapine treatment. Similarly, the reductions in the HAMD21 and Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scores in S allele carriers were smaller than those in patients with the P allele after 2 weeks of mirtazapine treatment. In the analysis of depression symptoms, the sleep and delusion scores had smaller reductions in S allele carriers. Based on the Liverpool University Neuroleptic Side Effect Rating Scale (LUNSERS), the psychic adverse effects of mirtazapine were associated with CYP2D6 P34S, while weight gain was not. These results suggest that CYP2D6 P34S affects the outcome of mirtazapine treatment in patients with MDD, and that this polymorphism may be a good genetic marker for predicting the clinical outcome of mirtazapine treatment.