This gene encodes a seven-transmembrane G-protein-coupled receptor. The encoded protein responds to signaling through the neurotransmitter serotonin. The mRNA of this gene is subject to multiple RNA editing events, where adenosine residues encoded by the genome are converted to inosines. RNA editing is predicted to alter the structure of the second intracellular loop, thereby generating alternate protein forms with decreased ability to interact with G proteins. Abnormalities in RNA editing of this gene have been detected in victims of suicide that suffer from depression. In addition, naturally-occuring variation in the promoter and 5' non-coding and coding regions of this gene may show statistically-significant association with mental illness and behavioral disorders. Alternative splicing results in multiple different transcript variants. [provided by RefSeq, Jan 2015]
Forensic Context
A study in mice demonstrated that prenatal exposure to psychostimulants like amphetamine, cocaine, and methamphetamine permanently impairs glucose homeostasis in adult female offspring by reducing insulin and serotonin content in pancreatic beta cells, linking this effect to serotonin signaling and sex-specific epigenetic reprogramming of serotonin-related gene networks upstream of the transcription factor Pet1/Fev [Korchynska et al. DOI:10.15252/embj.2018100882]. In a separate investigation, transcriptomic analysis of the mouse primary somatosensory cortex following burn injury or formalin-induced inflammatory pain revealed that the HTR2C gene was downregulated in both pain models one hour after injury [Erdei et al. DOI:10.3390/ijms26083538].