Identity

Abstract
Tryptophan hydroxylase 1 gene (TPH1) encodes a rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of the monoamine neurotransmitter serotonin. TPH1 is expressed in peripheral tissues such as the heart, lung, kidney, duodenum and adrenal gland, as well as in female reproductive tissues. The mutations in this gene have been associated with various diseases with high risk, including, schizophrenia, somatic anxiety, anger-related features, bipolar disorder, suicidal behavior, and several addictions.
DNA/RNA
Description
Transcription
Table 1. Transcripts of the human TPH1 gene (Ensemble, GRCh38: CM000673.2).
| Name | Transcript ID | bp | Protein | Translation ID | Biotype | CCDS | UniProt | RefSeq Match | Flags |
| TPH1-201 | ENST00000250018.6 | 5325 | 444aa | ENSP00000250018.2 | Protein coding | CCDS7829 | P17752 | - | TSL:1GENCODE basicAPPRIS P1 |
| TPH1-204 | ENST00000528338.1 | 556 | 165aa | ENSP00000436081.1 | Protein coding | - | E9PR49 | - | CDS 3 incompleteTSL:3 |
| TPH1-202 | ENST00000417164.5 | 1138 | 206aa | ENSP00000403831.1 | Nonsense mediated decay | - | E7EMX4 | - | TSL:1 |
| TPH1-203 | ENST00000525406.1 | 461 | No protein | - | lncRNA | - | - | - | TSL:5 |
Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) found in the human TPH1 gene were given in Table 2.
Table 2. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the human TPH1 gene (Lai et al. 2005).
| SNP name (Genomic localization) | Position in the gene | SNP ID | PCR primers and short-extension probe |
| 5flankingSNP1 (T-1721G) | 5 flanking region | SNP000574351 | F: 5-ctgttcttttggtgtcctc-3 |
| R:5-gctcctggcacttaacata-3 | |||
| P: 5-taatttctttcatgagtattttatagtt | |||
| 5flankingSNP2 (A-1067G) | 5 flanking region | SNP000574353 | F: 5-ctgttcttttggtgtcctc-3 |
| R: 5-gctcctggcacttaacata-3 | |||
| P: 5-ttttttgctgagtatggatgtactttaaagctcagga | |||
| 5flankingSNP3 (G-347T) | 5 flanking region | SNP000574354 | F: 5-cgataataggcgttatcttg-3 |
| R: 5-ctcaatctctgcgtgtatct-3 | |||
| P: 5-tcaggactgggctattaaatagcccagaagcacagaga | |||
| in1SNP1 (T3804A) | Intron 1 (exon 1c) | rs623580 | F: 5-taattatcctccctccaagt-3 R: 5-cttacccattcaattaccac-3 |
| P: 5-agagtatgggcgacgttgtccta | |||
| in2SNP1 (G7465A) | Intron 2 | rs684302 | F: 5-tgctcttatatgtcttttcaagt-3 |
| R: 5-gagagatggagcaaaacac-3 | |||
| P: 5-ttaaataaaatacctgtatgtcttcttccatca | |||
| in3SNP1 (A12517C) | Intron 3 | rs211105 | F: 5-tcaggaaaacagaagggta-3 |
| R: 5-ggtaaattgccctatttctaa-3 | |||
| P: 5-aggtggcaaagacaaatgatttctaagatcttttccatcggc | |||
| in6SNP1 (C18626G) | Intron 6 | rs2237907 | F: 5-gggaagaaattatgtaagtgg-3 |
| R: 5-gaaatgttccatatctgtgc-3 | |||
| P: 5-ttgtaatgcacacaaaactgaaagctgatctcttagggtctggagc | |||
| in7SNP1 (A20004C)d | Intron 7 | rs1800532 | CF: 5-acccacctacactttcctc-3 CR: 5-taattgacaacctattaggttc-3 |
| AR: 5-agcacatgtgaagcatttag-3 | |||
| AF: 5-cctatgctcagaatagcagctct-3 | |||
| 3UTRSNP1 (C27224T) | 3 UTR | rs2108977 | F: 5-cacttgaatatcacagtccatc-3 |
| R: 5-gcttacagtagatttccttgc-3 | |||
| P: 5-tacatttgatggtaaatagatgctagctaatct | |||
| 3UTRSNP2 (A27237G) | 3 UTR | New | F: 5-cacttgaatatcacagtccatc-3 |
| R: 5-gcttacagtagatttccttgc-3 | |||
| P: 5-aactataaatcagataatcaata |
The genotypic and allelic distribution of the TPH1 gene is listed in Table 3.
Table 3. The genotypic and allelic distribution of the TPH1 gene (Lai et al. 2005).
| Marker | Group (Total Number) | Genotype (frequency) | Allele (frequency) | |||||||
| 1-1 | 1-2 | 2-2 | χ2 | p value | 1 | 2 | χ2 | p value | ||
| T-1721G | N(94) | 54(.57) | 37(.39) | 3(.03) | 2.72 | 0.248 | 145(.77) | 43(.23) | 0.36 | 0.548 |
| P(92) | 53(.58) | 31(.34) | 8(.09) | 137(.75) | 47(.26) | |||||
| A-1067G | N(90) | 53(.59) | 34(.38) | 3(.03) | 1.62 | 0.446 | 140(.78) | 40(.22) | 0.74 | 0.389 |
| P(92) | 51(.55) | 34(.37) | 7(.08) | 136(.74) | 48(.26) | |||||
| G-347T | N(102) | 58(.57) | 43(.42) | 1(.01) | 0.048 | 0.976 | 159(.78) | 45(.22) | 0.037 | 0.847 |
| P(94) | 52(.55) | 41(.44) | 1(.01) | 145(.77) | 43(.23) | |||||
| T3804A | N(101) | 56(.55) | 38(.38) | 7(.07) | 2.17 | 0.304 | 152(.74) | 52(.26) | 0.015 | 0.946 |
| P(96) | 49(.51) | 44(.46) | 3(.03) | 142(.74) | 50(.26) | |||||
| G7465A | N(100) | 31(.31) | 43(.43) | 26(.26) | 0.46 | 0.793 | 105(.53) | 95(.48) | 0.439 | 0.508 |
| P(74) | 25(.34) | 33(.45) | 16(.22) | 83(.56) | 65(.44) | |||||
| A12517C | N(101) | 58(.57) | 39(.39) | 4(.04) | 0.232 | 0.890 | 155(.77) | 47(.23) | 0.207 | 0.649 |
| P(96) | 58(.60) | 35(.37) | 3(.03) | 151(.79) | 41(.21) | |||||
| C18626G | N(100) | 28(.28) | 47(.47) | 25(.25) | 1.24 | 0.538 | 103(.52) | 97(.49) | 0.392 | 0.531 |
| P(71) | 25(.35) | 28(.39) | 18(.25) | 78(.55) | 64(.45) | |||||
| A20004C | N(102) | 40(.39) | 45(.44) | 17(.17) | 1.726 | 0.422 | 125(.61) | 79(.39) | 1 795 | 0.18 |
| P(89) | 29(.32) | 39(.44) | 21(.24) | 97(.54) | 81(.46) | |||||
| C27224T | N(95) | 31(.33) | 49(.52) | 15(.16) | 3.58 | 0.167 | 111(.58) | 79(.42) | 2.13 | 0.144 |
| P(80) | 23(.29) | 35(.44) | 22(.28) | 81(.51) | 79(.49) | |||||
| A27237G | N(95) | 49(.52) | 40(.42) | 6(.06) | 0.57 | 0.751 | 138(.73) | 52(.27) | 0.677 | 0.411 |
| P(78) | 37(.47) | 34(.44) | 7(.09) | 107(.69) | 49(.34) | |||||
N indicates the matched normal controls, P indicates the bipolar patients.
1 represents the major allele and 2 the minor allele
Proteins
Description
Protein properties for TPH1 Gene: TPH1 is a rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of serotonin. It catalyzes the biotin-dependent monooxygenation of tryptophan to 5-hydroxytryptophan (5HTP), then decarboxylates to form the neurotransmitter serotonin. The gene is localized on the human chromosome 11p15.3-p14, is about 29 kb long and contains 11 exons (Craig et al. 1991). Jonsson et al. (1997) identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) A218C (rs1800532) and A779C (rs1799913) in intron 7 of the TPH1 gene. Mutations in this gene have been associated with high risk for various diseases and disorders such as schizophrenia, somatic anxiety, anger-related features, bipolar disorder, suicidal behavior, and several addictions (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene).
Expression
Function
The liver is an organ that can regenerate its volume after major tissue loss. Lesurtel et al. (2006) showed that mouse thrombocytopenia leads to the inhibition of cellular proliferation in the liver (Lesurtel et al. 2006). Thrombocytes are the main carriers of serotonin in the blood. In thrombocytopenic mice, a serotonin agonist has been observed to regenerate liver proliferation (Gershon and Tack, 2007). The expression of HT2A (182135) and HT2B (601122) serotonin receptor subtypes has been observed to increase in the liver after hepatectomy. Antagonists of these receptors have been shown to inhibit liver regeneration. Liver regeneration has also been disrupted in mice lacking TPH1, the rate-limiting enzyme for the synthesis of peripheral serotonin. Since thrombocytes contain most of the circulating serotonin, and serotonin is released by thrombocyte aggregation, inactivation of TPH1 function is assumed to lead to severe blood clotting defects (Gershon and Tack, 2007).
Loss- and gain-of-function mutations in mouse low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 ( LRP5) gene affected bone formation, leading to osteoporosis and increased bone mass, respectively. Yadav et al. (2008) described the TPH1 as the most over-expressed gene in LRP5 - / - mice and concluded that LRP5 suppresses bone formation by inhibiting serotonin production (Yadav et al. 2008). Enterochromaffin cells (EC) synthesize intestinal serotonin (5HT). LRP5 controls 5HT synthesis by negatively regulating TPH1 expression in these cells. When 5HT is released in the blood, it negatively regulates bone formation during bone remodeling process (Ducy and Karsenty, 2010).
Since 5HT is produced in the gut, its effects on the intestinal microbiota are inevitable. There is a significant difference in the composition of the gut microbiota depending on whether the TPH1 is knocked out and whether the progenitors are heterozygous or homozygous for this gene. Besides, there is evidence that 5HT directly modulates the growth of commensal bacteria (Kwon et al. 2019). The combination of microbial and host gastrointestinal metabolism of tryptophan is likely an important factor in the systemic availability of tryptophan, as well as levels of indoles, kynurenine and local 5HT (Roager and Licht, 2018). The possible mechanisms for microbial regulation of tryptophan and 5HT release are shown in Figure 2 (Gheorghe et al. 2019).

Mutations
Note
Table 4. Mutations of the human TPH1 gene (http://www.hgmd.cf.ac.uk).
| Missense/nonsense mutation | ||||||||
| Accession | HGMD codon change | HGMD amino acid change | HGVS (nucleotide) | HGVS (protein) | Variant class | Phenotype | Reference | Source |
| CM109141 | AAA-CAA | Lys54Gln | c.160A>C | p.K54Q | Disease-causing mutations (DM) | Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder | Halmøy (2010) Arch Gen Psychiatry 67:1033 | PubMed 20921119 |
| CM109142 | CGT-TGT | Arg142Cys | c.424C>T | p.R142C | Disease-causing mutations (DM) | Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder | Halmøy (2010) Arch Gen Psychiatry 67:1033 | PubMed 20921119 |
| CM109143 | CGA-TGA | Arg145Term | c.433C>T | p.R145* | Disease-causing mutations (DM) | Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder | Halmøy (2010) Arch Gen Psychiatry 67:1033 | PubMed 20921119 |
| CM109149 | GTA-ATA | Val177Ile | c.529G>A | p.V177I | Disease-causing mutations (DM) ? | Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder | Halmøy (2010) Arch Gen Psychiatry 67:1033 | PubMed 20921119 |
| CM109145 | CTC-ATC | Leu274Ile | c.820C>A | p.L274I | Disease-causing mutations (DM) | Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder | Halmøy (2010) Arch Gen Psychiatry 67:1033 | PubMed 20921119 |
| CM109146 | GCT-ACT | Ala300Thr | c.898G>A | p.A300T | Disease-causing mutations (DM) | Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder | Halmøy (2010) Arch Gen Psychiatry 67:1033 | PubMed 20921119 |
| CM187494 | CGT-CAT | Arg395His | c.1184G>A | p.R395H | Disease-causing mutations (DM) ? | Mood dysregulation disorder | Ungar (2018) Am J Med Genet A 176:1432 | PubMed 29696773 |
| CM109144 | ATC-AAC | Ile410Asn | c.1229T>A | p.I410N | Disease-causing mutations (DM) | Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder | Halmøy (2010) Arch Gen Psychiatry 67:1033 | PubMed 20921119 |
| Splicing mutation | ||||||||
| Accession | HGMD codon change | HGMD amino acid change | HGVS(nucleotide) | HGVS (dbSNP number) | Variant class | Phenotype | Reference | Source |
| CS034323 | IVS6 ds C-A +221 | not yet available | c.803+221C>A | rs1800532 | Disease-associated polymorphisms (DP) | Depression, association with | Tsai (1999) Neuroreport 10:3773 | PubMed 10716208 |
| Regulatory mutation | ||||||||
| Accession | HGMD codon change | HGMD amino acid change | HGVS (nucleotide) | HGVS (dbSNP number) | Variant class | Phenotype | Reference | Source |
| CR1314899 | GGGCTATTAAATAGCCCA GAAGCACAGAGA(T-G)GT GTGGGAGGTGGGGGGATT CTTGCTTTGG -5854 relative to initiation codon | not yet available | not yet available | rs7130929 | Disease-associated polymorphisms (DP) | Irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhoea predominant, association with | Grasberger(2013) Am J Gastroenterol 108:1766 | PubMed 24060757 |
| Small deletion | ||||||||
| Accession | HGMD codon change | HGMD amino acid change | HGVS | HGVS (dbSNP number) | Variant class | Phenotype | Reference | Source |
| CD166898 | CAGATACATGactTCAGTTCTTA non-coding region | not yet available | c.*1342_*1344delACT | rs60273374 | Disease-causing mutations (DM) ? | Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, persistent | Demontis (2016) J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 55:521 | PubMed 27238071 |
Implicated in

Vitamin D activates a series of processes that are critical for maintaining normal healthy neurons, also preventing the onset of depression. Where vitamin D enters the nucleus, it joins with the retinoid X receptor (RXR) and then binds to the vitamin D response element (VDRE) found on a large number of genes. Eventually, Ca2+ homeostasis is maintained by inducing the expression of the calcium-binding proteins (calbindin and parvalbumin), SLC8A1 (Na2+/Ca2+ exchanger1 NCX1) and cell membrane Ca2+ ATPase (PMCA) pump (ATP2B1 to 4 genes). Besides, vitamin D regulates Ca2+ levels by reducing the expression of the voltage-dependent calcium channel CaV1.2. In this case, TPH1 is suppressed and serotonin formation is controlled by increasing the TPH2 level. Reduced expression of inflammatory cytokines diminishes inflammation as well (Figure 4). By binding to its receptor ( VDR), vitamin D also regulates the expression of many mitochondrial proteins that maintain mitochondrial respiration (Berridge, 2017).

5HT has been evaluated in IBD and animal colitis models. TPH1-deficient mice have reduced 5HT content in the gut and low inflammatory cytokine production has been observed (Ghia et al. 2009). Besides, pharmacological blocking of peripheral 5HT synthesis reduced the severity of both chemical and infection-related gut inflammation. In colon biopsy samples from CD patients, TPH1, HTR3A, mucosal HTR4, and HTR7 expressions were upregulated, whereas serotonin transporter (5HTT) expression was downregulated in inflammation. Besides, colonic TPH1 expression was found to be significantly higher in inflamed areas compared to non-inflamed areas and controls (Shajib et al. 2019). Other important factors such as gut microbiota, may also affect host 5HT production in IBD. The role of gut microbiota in 5-HT production, via the regulation of TPH1, has been shown (Yano et al. 2015). The increase in TPH1 expression was thought to be associated with dysbiosis observed in IBD. In particular, a study showed that a 5HT increase due to 5HTT deficiency was associated with dysbiosis. As a result, CD and inflammation are associated with increasing the mucosal 5HT signal, characterized by the upregulation of TPH1 expression and downregulation of 5HTT expression (Shajib et al. 2019). Furthermore, high expression of IL13, a cytokine associated with increased 5HT production, is noteworthy. Increased 5HT availability due to its increased production and impaired clearance is thought to play an important role in maintaining intestinal inflammation and associated symptoms (Shajib et al. 2019).
Article Bibliography
| Pubmed ID | Last Year | Title | Authors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27497328 | 2016 | TPH1 A218 allele is associated with suicidal behavior in Turkish population. | Beden O et al |
| 14681922 | 2004 | Association between the TPH gene A218C polymorphism and suicidal behavior: a meta-analysis. | Bellivier F et al |
| 28202503 | 2017 | Vitamin D and Depression: Cellular and Regulatory Mechanisms. | Berridge MJ et al |
| 21601290 | 2012 | Association between the TPH1 A218C polymorphism and risk of mood disorders and alcohol dependence: evidence from the current studies. | Chen D et al |
| 2055111 | 1991 | Localization of human tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) to chromosome 11p15.3----p14 by in situ hybridization. | Craig SP et al |
| 27238071 | 2016 | Whole-Exome Sequencing Reveals Increased Burden of Rare Functional and Disruptive Variants in Candidate Risk Genes in Individuals With Persistent Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. | Demontis D et al |
| 20921133 | 2010 | The two faces of serotonin in bone biology. | Ducy P et al |
| 27719836 | 2016 | Do (epi)genetics impact the brain in functional neurologic disorders? | Frodl T et al |
| 17241888 | 2007 | The serotonin signaling system: from basic understanding to drug development for functional GI disorders. | Gershon MD et al |
| 31610413 | 2019 | Focus on the essentials: tryptophan metabolism and the microbiome-gut-brain axis. | Gheorghe CE et al |
| 19706294 | 2009 | Serotonin has a key role in pathogenesis of experimental colitis. | Ghia JE et al |
| 24060757 | 2013 | Identification of a functional TPH1 polymorphism associated with irritable bowel syndrome bowel habit subtypes. | Grasberger H et al |
| 20921119 | 2010 | Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms in offspring of mothers with impaired serotonin production. | Halmøy A et al |
| 15727508 | 2005 | Two types of aggression are differentially related to serotonergic activity and the A779C TPH polymorphism. | Hennig J et al |
| 9477008 | 1997 | Tryptophan hydroxylase and catechol-O-methyltransferase gene polymorphisms: relationships to monoamine metabolite concentrations in CSF of healthy volunteers. | Jönsson EG et al |
| 30716420 | 2019 | Modulation of Gut Microbiota Composition by Serotonin Signaling Influences Intestinal Immune Response and Susceptibility to Colitis. | Kwon YH et al |
| 15799788 | 2005 | Polymorphism screening and haplotype analysis of the tryptophan hydroxylase gene (TPH1) and association with bipolar affective disorder in Taiwan. | Lai TJ et al |
| 16601191 | 2006 | Platelet-derived serotonin mediates liver regeneration. | Lesurtel M et al |
| 28443016 | 2017 | Genetics of Aggression in Alzheimer's Disease (AD). | Lukiw WJ et al |
| 9326831 | 1997 | Possible association of a polymorphism of the tryptophan hydroxylase gene with suicidal behavior in depressed patients. | Mann JJ et al |
| 14960274 | 2004 | Serotonin regulates mammary gland development via an autocrine-paracrine loop. | Matsuda M et al |
| 27721799 | 2016 | Genetic Association Studies of Suicidal Behavior: A Review of the Past 10 Years, Progress, Limitations, and Future Directions. | Mirkovic B et al |
| 22429480 | 2012 | Genetic association study of individual symptoms in depression. | Myung W et al |
| 9514581 | 1998 | Tryptophan hydroxylase genotype is associated with impulsive-aggression measures: a preliminary study. | New AS et al |
| 7506517 | 1994 | Suicidality and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid concentration associated with a tryptophan hydroxylase polymorphism. | Nielsen DA et al |
| 19903352 | 2009 | Altered serotonin physiology in human breast cancers favors paradoxical growth and cell survival. | Pai VP et al |
| 14960297 | 2004 | Robust and tissue-specific expression of TPH2 versus TPH1 in rat raphe and pineal gland. | Patel PD et al |
| 30120222 | 2018 | Microbial tryptophan catabolites in health and disease. | Roager HM et al |
| 12399958 | 2002 | Association of anger-related traits with SNPs in the TPH gene. | Rujescu D et al |
| 19526457 | 2010 | The tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH1) gene, schizophrenia susceptibility, and suicidal behavior: a multi-centre case-control study and meta-analysis. | Saetre P et al |
| 31294376 | 2019 | Characterization of Serotonin Signaling Components in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. | Shajib MS et al |
| 25439045 | 2015 | The role of serotonin and its receptors in activation of immune responses and inflammation. | Shajib MS et al |
| 16389591 | 2006 | TPH gene polymorphism and aging: indication of combined effect on the predisposition to violent suicide. | Stefulj J et al |
| 10716208 | 1999 | Tryptophan hydroxylase gene polymorphism (A218C) and suicidal behaviors. | Tsai SJ et al |
| 29696773 | 2018 | Complex phenotype of dyskeratosis congenita and mood dysregulation with novel homozygous RTEL1 and TPH1 variants. | Ungar RA et al |
| 12531142 | 2002 | Serotonin and sleep. | Ursin R et al |
| 19041748 | 2008 | Lrp5 controls bone formation by inhibiting serotonin synthesis in the duodenum. | Yadav VK et al |
| 25860609 | 2015 | Indigenous bacteria from the gut microbiota regulate host serotonin biosynthesis. | Yano JM et al |
| 11449398 | 2001 | Case control and family-based studies of tryptophan hydroxylase gene A218C polymorphism and suicidality in adolescents. | Zalsman G et al |
Citation
Rafig Gurbanov ; Sevinç Karaçam
TPH1 (tryptophan hydroxylase 1)
Atlas Genet Cytogenet Oncol Haematol. 2020-03-01
Online version: http://atlasgeneticsoncology.org/gene/51272/tph1-%28tryptophan-hydroxylase-1%29
