Relationship between oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene polymorphism and obsessive compulsive disorder in Chinese Han

Abstract

Recent research has shown that genetic variations in the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) may be related to variations in subtypes of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). We aimed to explore the relationship between different subtypes of OCD and the genetic variation between rs1316193 and rs4686301 of the OXTR. In this case-control study, 92 OCD patients and 92 healthy controls were included in the OCD and control groups, respectively. The Y-BOCS scale was used to assess the severity of the OCD symptoms. The fasting peripheral blood samples were collected to extract DNA. rs4686301 and rs13316193 were genotyped using restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis techniques. Whether the gene frequency of the locus and the distribution of allele frequency were related to OCD were further study by TaqMan allele typing. The rs4686301 locus differed significantly between behavior and control groups. The genotype frequency and allele frequency at the rs4686301 locus were statistically significant between behavior and control groups (P<0.05). There was significant difference in the genotype frequency at the rs13316193 locus between behavior and control groups (P<0.05). The rs4686301 polymorphism of the OXTR may affect the clinical subtype of OCD. The rs13316193 polymorphism of the OXTR may be a risk factor for obsessive-compulsive behavior.