Homer gene mutations not linked to schizophrenia - Schizophrenia

21 августа, 2003
Mutations in the Homer gene family are not associated with schizophrenia. "Homer proteins are a group of proteins that regulate group 1 metabotropic glutamate receptor function. Drug Week via NewsEdge Corporation : Mutations in the Homer gene family are not associated with schizophrenia. "Homer proteins are a group of proteins that regulate group 1 metabotropic glutamate receptor function. As altered glutamate function has been implicated in many neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly schizophrenia, we have screened all three known Homer genes for sequence variation for use under the candidate gene association paradigm," researchers in Wales report. "We found seven SNPs, including three in exons," stated N. Norton and colleagues at the University of Wales. "Of these, none was non-synonymous. Allele frequencies of all the detected SNPs were estimated in DNA pools of 368 schizophrenics and 368 controls. Only one (Homer 1 IVS4 + 18A > G) was associated with schizophrenia in this sample, a finding confirmed by individual genotyping (p=0.01). However, in our extended sample of 680 cases and 671 controls, the evidence for association diminished (p=0.05)." The researchers concluded, "Our results suggest it is unlikely that sequence variants in the Homer genes contribute to the etiology of schizophrenia, but the variants we identified are plausible candidates for other neuropsychiatric phenotypes. Norton and associates published their study in the American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B - Neuropsychiatric Genetics (Mutation screening of the Homer gene family and association analysis in schizophrenia. Am J Med Genet Part B, 2003;120B(1):18-21). For additional information, contact M. J. Owen, Neuropsychiatric Genetics, 1F Tenovus, UHW, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK. E-mail: Owenmj cf.ac.uk. Publisher contact information for the American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B - Neuropsychiatric Genetics is: Wiley-Liss, Division of John Wiley and Sons Inc., 605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158-0012, USA. The information in this article comes under the major subject areas of Schizophrenia, Psychiatric Disorder, Mutagenesis, and Proteomics. This article was prepared by Drug Week editors from staff and other reports. <> << Copyright ©2003 NewsRx.com >>
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