Support for RGS4 as a susceptibility gene for schizophrenia

Biol Psychiatry. 2004 Jan 15;55(2):192-5. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2003.11.002.

Abstract

Background: The gene encoding the regulator of G-protein signaling 4 has recently been associated with susceptibility to schizophrenia. This finding is particularly interesting, because it was replicated within the same study and also because there are functional, positional, and expression data to support the regulator of G-protein signaling 4 as a schizophrenia candidate gene. Although the original report was highly suggestive, a limitation was that the study was conducted on rather small samples.

Methods: We have examined a large case (n = 709) control (n = 710) sample for association between schizophrenia using four markers investigated in the earlier study, denoted single nucleotide polymorphisms 1, 4, 7, and 18.

Results: We were able to replicate the associations with single nucleotide polymorphisms 4 and 18 that had previously been reported individually and have also identified significant association with haplotypes constructed from single nucleotide polymorphisms 1 and 4.

Conclusions: Our data give modest support for the hypothesis that the regulator of G-protein signaling 4 is a susceptibility gene for schizophrenia.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Alanine / genetics
  • Alleles
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
  • Female
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease*
  • Genotype
  • Glycine / genetics
  • Humans
  • Linkage Disequilibrium
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
  • RGS Proteins / genetics*
  • RNA, Messenger / biosynthesis
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • Schizophrenia / genetics*
  • Threonine / genetics

Substances

  • RGS Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RGS4 protein
  • Threonine
  • Alanine
  • Glycine