A laboratory study found that a common TSPO variant did not have the same effect across all tested ligands.
Radioligand experiments examined binding in relation to the TSPO rs6971 polymorphism. The tested endogenous ligands, including diazepam-binding inhibitor and protoporphyrin IX, did not show the same genotype dependence observed for the tested synthetic ligands.
TSPO was historically called the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor. That terminology should not be confused with the central GABA-A benzodiazepine-binding site.
Diazepam-binding inhibitor is an endogenous ligand, not proof of diazepam ingestion. Likewise, a genotype-related binding difference does not establish clinical sensitivity to every sedative medicine. The study measured particular ligand-protein interactions rather than human behavioral effects.
For interpretation, retain ligand identity, assay system, and genotype. The paper supports ligand-specific analysis of TSPO research, while it cannot diagnose intoxication, dependence, or an individual drug response from this variant alone.
Original analysis of the supplied journal article, identified as PMC6387295.