Role of the DLGAP2 gene encoding the SAP90/PSD-95-associated protein 2 in schizophrenia

PLoS One. 2014 Jan 8;9(1):e85373. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0085373. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Aberrant synaptic dysfunction is implicated in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. The DLGAP2 gene encoding the SAP90/PSD-95-associated protein 2 (SAPAP2) located at the post-synaptic density of neuronal cells is involved in the neuronal synaptic function. This study aimed to investigate whether the DLGAP2 gene is associated with schizophrenia. We resequenced the putative promoter region and all the exons of the DLGAP2 gene in 523 patients with schizophrenia and 596 non-psychotic controls from Taiwan and conducted a case-control association analysis. We identified 19 known SNPs in this sample. Association analysis of 9 SNPs with minor allele frequency greater than 5% showed no association with schizophrenia. However, we found a haplotype (CCACCAACT) significantly associated with schizophrenia (odds ratio:2.5, p<0.001). We also detected 16 missense mutations and 1 amino acid-insertion mutation in this sample. Bioinformatic analysis showed some of these mutations were damaging or pathological to the protein function, but we did not find increased burden of these mutations in the patient group. Notably, we identified 5 private rare variants in 5 unrelated patients, respectively, including c.-69+9C>T, c.-69+13C>T, c.-69+47C>T, c.-69+55C>T at intron 1 and c.-32A>G at untranslated exon 2 of the DLGAP2 gene. These rare variants were not detected in 559 control subjects. Further reporter gene assay of these rare variants except c.-69+13C>T showed significantly elevated promoter activity than the wild type, suggesting increased DLGAP2 gene expression may contribute to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Our results indicate that DLGAP2 is a susceptible gene of schizophrenia.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Alleles
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Exons
  • Female
  • Gene Frequency
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease*
  • Haplotypes
  • Humans
  • Introns
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mutation*
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics*
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Schizophrenia / diagnosis
  • Schizophrenia / genetics*
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Taiwan

Substances

  • DLGAP2 protein, human
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins

Grants and funding

Funding for this study was provided by the Taoyuan Armed Forces General Hospital, and the Hualien Armed Forces General Hospital in Taiwan. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.