Schizophrenia susceptibility and NMDA-receptor mediated signalling: an association study involving 32 tagSNPs of DAO, DAOA, PPP3CC, and DTNBP1 genes

BMC Med Genet. 2013 Mar 9:14:33. doi: 10.1186/1471-2350-14-33.

Abstract

Background: Recent studies supported associations between four NMDA-receptor-mediated signalling genes (D-amino acid oxidase, DAO; D-amino acid oxidase activator, DAOA; protein phosphatase 3 catalytic subunit gamma isoform, PPP3CC; dystrobrevin-binding protein 1, DTNBP1) and schizophrenia susceptibility, even though with contrasting results.

Methods: In an attempt to replicate these findings for the first time in an Italian population, a panel of 32 tagSNPs was analysed in a representative case-control sample involving 879 subjects.

Results: An association in the allele frequency was observed for the estimated PPP3CC CAG triplotype in the SNP window rs4872499 T/C-rs11780915 A/G-rs13271367 G/A (pcorrect = 0.001). Similarly, the clustered genotype frequencies of the estimated/phased CAG triplotype differed between cases and controls (p = 0.004), with the carriers having a higher frequency in the control population (p = 0.002, odd ratio OR = 0.59, 95% confident interval CI: 0.43-0.82).Following the phenotypic dissection strategy, the analysis of single SNPs evidenced a protective effect in males of rs11780915 and rs13271367 in PPP3CC gene (pcorrect = 0.02, pcorrect = 0.04 respectively). Moreover the estimated/phased GT diplotype (rs2070586A/G-rs3741775G/T) carriers of the DAO gene were more highly represented in female controls (p = 0.017, OR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.37-0.90), as were the estimated/phased CAG triplotype carriers of the PPP3CC gene in females (p = 0.01, OR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.32-0.87). In addition, we performed an interaction analysis, and a 66% (p = 0.003, OR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.17-0.70) lower risk of developing schizophrenia for female (CAG + GT) carriers versus non-CAG or -GT carriers was observed. For DTNBP1, we found a protective effect in males for the rs6459409 (pcorrect = 0.02) and the estimated/phased CT diplotype (rs6459409-rs9476886) carriers (p = 3x10-4, OR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.30-0.70).In relation to diagnostic subtypes, the estimated/phased DAO GT diplotype and PPP3CC CAG triplotype female carriers were found to show relative risk ratio (RRR) values of 0.52 and 0.54 lower risk for a paranoid phenotype respectively.

Conclusions: Although the results are preliminary and needed replication in a larger sample, this study suggests that NMDA receptor-mediated signalling genes (DAO, PPP3CC, DTNBP1) might be involved in schizophrenia pathogenic mechanisms related to gender.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Calcineurin / genetics*
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • D-Amino-Acid Oxidase / genetics*
  • Dysbindin
  • Dystrophin-Associated Proteins
  • Genetic Association Studies
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Humans
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Middle Aged
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / metabolism*
  • Schizophrenia / genetics*
  • Signal Transduction / genetics

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • DAOA protein, human
  • DTNBP1 protein, human
  • Dysbindin
  • Dystrophin-Associated Proteins
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
  • DAO protein, human
  • D-Amino-Acid Oxidase
  • Calcineurin
  • PPP3CC protein, human