Possible association between genetic variants at the GRIN1... : Psychiatric Genetics (original) (raw)

BRIEF REPORTS

Possible association between genetic variants at the GRIN1 gene and schizophrenia with lifetime history of depressive symptoms in a German sample

Georgi, Alexandera; Jamra, Rami Aboub; Klein, Katrinb; Villela, Angela Wolfb; Schumacher, Johannesb; Becker, Timd; Paul, Torstena; Schmael, Christinea; Höfels, Susannee; Klopp, Normane; Illig, Thomase; Propping, Peterb; Cichon, Svenc; Nöthen, Markus M.c; Schulze, Thomas G.a; Rietschel, Marcellaa

aCentral Institute of Mental Health, Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Mannheim

bInstitute of Human Genetics

cDepartment of Genomics, Life and Brain Center

dInstitute for Medical Biometry, Informatics and Epidemiology, University of Bonn, Bonn

eInstitute of Epidemiology, GSF, Neuherberg, Germany

Correspondence to Dr Thomas G. Schulze, MD, Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, 15, D-68159, Mannheim, Germany

Tel: +49 621 1703 6056; fax: +49 621 1703 6055;

e-mail: [email protected]

Received 10 July 2006 Revised 4 December 2006 Accepted 7 December 2006

Abstract

Genetic variation in glutamatergic signalling pathways is believed to play a substantial role in the aetiology of schizophrenia. The _N_-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit gene GRIN1 has been proposed as a candidate gene for schizophrenia. We tested for a potential association between schizophrenia and four single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs4880213, rs11146020, rs6293, and rs10747050) and one microsatellite marker at GRIN1 in a German sample of 354 patients and 323 controls. We found significant associations in single-marker and haplotype-based analyses (P<0.05). Significance was more pronounced (P<0.01) in the subset of patients with a lifetime history of major depression, a subgroup of schizophrenia described previously as a promising phenotypic subtype in genetic studies of schizophrenia. Although significances did not withstand correction for multiple testing, the results of our exploratory analysis warrant further studies on GRIN1 and schizophrenia.