Genetic variants of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTTP) are associated with metabolic syndrome in schizophrenic patients treated with atypical antipsychotics.

OBJECTIVES

Promoter polymorphisms in microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTTP) have been associated with the various traits of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in the general population. This study investigated whether the common variants in MTTP genes were associated with MetS in schizophrenic patients treated with atypical antipsychotics.

METHOD

The study included 456 hospitalized patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, who had been treated with clozapine (n = 171), olanzapine (n = 91), or risperidone (n = 194) for at least 3 months. Patients were genotyped for the 10 MTTP single-nucleotide polymorphisms.

RESULTS

The prevalence of MetS among all subjects was 22.8%. In single-marker-based analysis, the MTTP rs1800591 (-493G>T) T-allele carriers were at double the risk for MetS relative to G/G homozygotes. In contrast, the T-allele homozygotes had considerably lower fasting high-density lipoprotein levels than that in the heterozygotes or G-allele homozygotes.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings extend and add new information to the existing data regarding the association between MTTP genetic variants and MetS regulation during long-term atypical antipsychotic treatment. The MTTP rs1800591 T allele could be a risk factor for MetS in patients under atypical antipsychotic medication.