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Ruiz-Sánchez E, Jiménez-Genchi J, Alcántara-Flores YM, Castañeda-González CJ, Aviña-Cervantes CL, Yescas P, del Socorro González-Valadez M, Martínez-Rodríguez N, Ríos-Ortiz A, González-González M, López-Navarro ME, Rojas P. Working memory deficits in schizophrenia are associated with the rs34884856 variant and expression levels of the NR4A2 gene in a sample Mexican population: a case control study. BMC Psychiatry 2021; 21:86. [PMID: 33563249 PMCID: PMC7871565 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-021-03081-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive functions represent useful endophenotypes to identify the association between genetic variants and schizophrenia. In this sense, the NR4A2 gene has been implicated in schizophrenia and cognition in different animal models and clinical trials. We hypothesized that the NR4A2 gene is associated with working memory performance in schizophrenia. This study aimed to analyze two variants and the expression levels of the NR4A2 gene with susceptibility to schizophrenia, as well as to evaluate whether possession of NR4A2 variants influence the possible correlation between gene expression and working memory performance in schizophrenia. METHODS The current study included 187 schizophrenia patients and 227 controls genotyped for two of the most studied NR4A2 genetic variants in neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases. Genotyping was performed using High Resolution Melt and sequencing techniques. In addition, mRNA expression of NR4A2 was performed in peripheral mononuclear cells of 112 patients and 118 controls. A group of these participants, 54 patients and 87 controls, performed the working memory index of the WAIS III test. RESULTS Both genotypic frequencies of the two variants and expression levels of the NR4A2 gene showed no significant difference when in patients versus controls. However, patients homozygous for the rs34884856 promoter variant showed a positive correlation between expression levels and auditory working memory. CONCLUSIONS Our finding suggested that changes in expression levels of the NR4A2 gene could be associated with working memory in schizophrenia depending on patients' genotype in a sample from a Mexican population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Ruiz-Sánchez
- grid.419204.a0000 0000 8637 5954Laboratory of Neurotoxicology, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, SS, Av. Insurgentes Sur No. 3877, Col. La Fama, C.P. 14269 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Janet Jiménez-Genchi
- Research Unit, Hospital Psiquiátrico Fray Bernardino Álvarez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Yessica M. Alcántara-Flores
- grid.419204.a0000 0000 8637 5954Laboratory of Neurotoxicology, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, SS, Av. Insurgentes Sur No. 3877, Col. La Fama, C.P. 14269 Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Carlos L. Aviña-Cervantes
- grid.419204.a0000 0000 8637 5954Department of Psychiatry, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, SS, Av. Insurgentes Sur No. 3877, Col. La Fama, C.P. 14269 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Petra Yescas
- grid.419204.a0000 0000 8637 5954Department of Genetics, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, SS, Av. Insurgentes Sur No. 3877, Col. La Fama, C.P. 14269 Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Nancy Martínez-Rodríguez
- grid.414757.40000 0004 0633 3412Epidemiology, Endocrinology & Nutrition Research Unit, Hospital Infantil de México “Federico Gómez”, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Antonio Ríos-Ortiz
- Research Unit, Hospital Psiquiátrico Fray Bernardino Álvarez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Martha González-González
- grid.419204.a0000 0000 8637 5954Unit of Cognition and Behavior, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, SS, Av. Insurgentes Sur No. 3877, Col. La Fama, C.P. 14269 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - María E. López-Navarro
- grid.419204.a0000 0000 8637 5954Laboratory of Neurotoxicology, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, SS, Av. Insurgentes Sur No. 3877, Col. La Fama, C.P. 14269 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Patricia Rojas
- Laboratory of Neurotoxicology, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, "Manuel Velasco Suárez", SS, Av. Insurgentes Sur No. 3877, Col. La Fama, C.P. 14269, Mexico City, Mexico.
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Association between NR4A2 genetic variation and schizophrenia: A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurosci Lett 2015; 598:85-90. [PMID: 25982322 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2015.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2015] [Revised: 04/13/2015] [Accepted: 05/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The homo sapiens nuclear receptor subfamily 4, group A (NR4A2) genetic variation has been implicated as a risk factor for schizophrenia (SZ). Nevertheless, the results are inconclusive. We conducted a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis to quantify the impact of NR4A2 variation on the risk of SZ. All eligible case-control studies published up to September 2014 were identified by searching PubMed OVID, EBSCO, PsycINFO and ISI web of knowledge. Pooled odds ratio with 95% confidence interval were used to access the strength of association in fixed- or random-effects model. Seven studies that reported 17 variants with a total of 3027 participants were included. Of these variants, five ones (rs143618355, rs199674295, c.366-369 del TAC, c.-469delG and P4) were present only in cases, and three ones (rs35479735, rs3832066 and rs397706674) were available for meta-analysis. Overall, there was no significant association between the three variants and SZ risk under allele model, dominant model and recessive model. The results failed to reveal significant link between NR4A2 polymorphism and SZ risk. However, large-sized and well-designed studies are warranted to validate our findings.
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Wei YM, Du YL, Nie YQ, Li YY, Wan YJY. Nur-related receptor 1 gene polymorphisms and alcohol dependence in Mexican Americans. World J Gastroenterol 2012; 18:5276-82. [PMID: 23066323 PMCID: PMC3468861 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i37.5276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2012] [Revised: 05/18/2012] [Accepted: 05/26/2012] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM: To investigate the association of polymorphisms of nur-related receptor 1 (Nurr1) and development of alcohol dependence in Mexican Americans.
METHODS: Peripheral blood samples were collected from 374 alcoholic and 346 nonalcoholic Mexican Americans; these two groups were sex- and age-matched. Sample DNA was extracted and genomic DNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction. The -2922(C) 2-3 polymerase chain reaction products were digested with Sau96I, alleles of 1345(G/C), and -1198(C/G) in the regulatory region as well as Ex+132 (G/T/A/C) and Ex+715(T/-) in exon 3 were studied by sequencing.
RESULTS: The C2/C2, C2/C3, C3/C3 genotype distribution of -2922(C) 2-3 was 34.4%, 38.2% and 27.5% in the nonalcoholic group compared to 23.3%, 51.2% and 25.4% in the alcoholic group (P = 0.001). The C/C, C/G, G/G genotype distribution of -1198(C/G) was 23.5%, 46.1% and 30.3% in the nonalcoholic group compared to 13.9%, 50.9% and 35.3% in the alcoholic group (P = 0.007). However, the -1345 (G/C), Ex3+132(G/T/A/C) and Ex3+715(T/-) alleles were not polymorphic in Mexican Americans, and all those studied had G/G, G/G and T/T genotype for these three alleles, respectively. The -2922(C) 2-3 did not show allele level difference between alcoholic and nonalcoholic individuals, but -1198 (C/G) showed a significant allele frequency difference between alcoholic (39.3%) and nonalcoholic (46.6%) populations (P = 0.005). Excluding obese individuals, significant differences were found at both genotypic and allelic levels for the -2922(C) 2-3 polymorphism (P = 0.000 and P = 0.049) and the -1198 (C/G) polymorphism (P = 0.008 and P = 0.032) between nonobese alcoholics and nonobese controls. Excluding smokers, a significant difference was found only at the genotypic level for the -2922(C) 2-3 polymorphism (P = 0.037) between nonsmoking alcoholics and nonsmoking controls, but only at the allelic level for the -1198(C/G) polymorphism (P = 0.034).
CONCLUSION: Polymorphisms in the regulatory region of Nurr1 are implicated in pathogenesis of alcohol dependence and the Nurr1/dopamine signaling pathway might be important for this dependence development in Mexican Americans.
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4
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Nur(R1)turing a notion on the etiopathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. Neurotox Res 2009; 16:261-70. [PMID: 19526279 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-009-9056-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2009] [Revised: 04/08/2009] [Accepted: 04/08/2009] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The canonical histopathological feature of Parkinson's disease (PD) is the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the ventral midbrain. Although the common sporadic/idiopathic form of PD most often presents clinically at around 60 years of age when the levels of striatal dopamine and numbers of ventral dopaminergic neurons are posited to have declined by 80 and 60%, respectively, the temporal pattern of injury to these vulnerable cells is unknown. The conventional view is that PD results from an accelerated age-related loss of dopamine neurons. However, an alternative hypothesis is that dopamine neuron loss is a developmental phenomenon. What evidence might support this alternative view? Apart from the rare familial forms, wherein loss or gain of function mutations in single genes convey highly penetrant PD, sporadic disease is genetically complex and may have other contributory non-genetic components. Epidemiologic and twin studies have strongly implicated gene-environmental interaction as a pathogenic dyad in the etiology of PD. Among the most attractive candidates that may connect the environment to inherited vulnerability is the nuclear receptor, Nurr1. Encoding an orphan transcription factor that is expressed at high levels within discrete regions of the developing and adult mammalian brain, Nurr1 is essential for the formation of ventral midbrain dopamine neurons. Given the absence of a known lipophilic small molecule regulator and established transcriptional role in the formation of the definitive dopaminergic phenotype, Nurr1 represents an intriguing molecule to explore in the context of sporadic PD as a developmental disorder. The study described herein addresses two features of Nurr1 biology that provide plausibility for this hypothesis. First is the description of Nurr1 regulation of a potent dopaminergic neuronal trophic factor, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), and second is the identification of a protein, termed Nurr1 interacting protein (NuIP) that appears to link upstream signaling pathways in the regulation of Nurr1 transcriptional activity.
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5
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Kardys I, van Tiel CM, de Vries CJ, Pannekoek H, Uitterlinden AG, Hofman A, Witteman JC, de Maat MP. Haplotypes of theNR4A2/NURR1gene and cardiovascular disease: The Rotterdam Study. Hum Mutat 2009; 30:417-23. [DOI: 10.1002/humu.20902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Abstract
The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia (SZ) has motivated a large number of genetic association studies but few if any dopaminergic (DA) polymorphisms are accepted as credible risk factors at present. To evaluate whether dopamine-related genes have been investigated adequately, we surveyed public genetic databases and published SZ association studies with regard to 14 conventional DA genes and 7 selected dopamine-interacting proteins. We estimate that 325 polymorphisms would be required to evaluate the impact of common variation on SZ risk among Caucasian samples. To date, 98 polymorphisms have been analyzed in published association studies. We estimate that only 19 of these variations have been evaluated in samples with at least 50% power to detect an association of the effect size commonly found in genetically complex disorders. While it is possible that DA genes do not harbor genetic risk factors for SZ, our review suggests that satisfactory conclusions for most genes cannot be drawn at present. Whole-genome association studies have begun to fill this void, but additional analyses are likely to be needed. Recommendations for future association studies include analysis of adequately powered samples, judiciously selected polymorphisms, multiple ethnic groups, and concurrent evaluation of function at associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael E Talkowski
- Department of Human Genetics, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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Kumar RA, Leach S, Bonaguro R, Chen J, Yokom DW, Abrahams BS, Seaver L, Schwartz CE, Dobyns W, Brooks-Wilson A, Simpson EM. Mutation and evolutionary analyses identify NR2E1-candidate-regulatory mutations in humans with severe cortical malformations. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2006; 6:503-16. [PMID: 17054721 PMCID: PMC2040186 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183x.2006.00277.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Nuclear receptor 2E1 (NR2E1) is expressed in human fetal and adult brains; however, its role in human brain–behavior development is unknown. Previously, we have corrected the cortical hypoplasia and behavioral abnormalities in Nr2e1−/− mice using a genomic clone spanning human NR2E1, which bolsters the hypothesis that NR2E1 may similarly play a role in human cortical and behavioral development. To test the hypothesis that humans with abnormal brain–behavior development may have null or hypomorphic NR2E1 mutations, we undertook the first candidate mutation screen of NR2E1 by sequencing its entire coding region, untranslated, splice site, proximal promoter and evolutionarily conserved non-coding regions in 56 unrelated patients with cortical disorders, namely microcephaly. We then genotyped the candidate mutations in 325 unrelated control subjects and 15 relatives. We did not detect any coding region changes in NR2E1; however, we identified seven novel candidate regulatory mutations that were absent from control subjects. We used in silico tools to predict the effects of these candidate mutations on neural transcription factor binding sites (TFBS). Four candidate mutations were predicted to alter TFBS. To facilitate the present and future studies of NR2E1, we also elucidated its molecular evolution, genetic diversity, haplotype structure and linkage disequilibrium by sequencing an additional 94 unaffected humans representing Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Oceania, as well as great apes and monkeys. We detected strong purifying selection, low genetic diversity, 21 novel polymorphisms and five common haplotypes at NR2E1. We conclude that protein-coding changes in NR2E1 do not contribute to cortical and behavioral abnormalities in the patients examined here, but that regulatory mutations may play a role.
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Affiliation(s)
- R A Kumar
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics and Child & Family Research InstituteVancouver, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British ColumbiaVancouver, Canada
| | - S Leach
- Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer AgencyVancouver, Canada
| | - R Bonaguro
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics and Child & Family Research InstituteVancouver, Canada
| | - J Chen
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics and Child & Family Research InstituteVancouver, Canada
| | - D W Yokom
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics and Child & Family Research InstituteVancouver, Canada
| | - B S Abrahams
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics and Child & Family Research InstituteVancouver, Canada
| | - L Seaver
- Center for Molecular Studies, J.C. Self Research Institute, Greenwood Genetic CenterGreenwood, SC, USA
| | - C E Schwartz
- Center for Molecular Studies, J.C. Self Research Institute, Greenwood Genetic CenterGreenwood, SC, USA
| | - W Dobyns
- University of ChicagoChicago, IL, USA
| | - A Brooks-Wilson
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British ColumbiaVancouver, Canada
- Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer AgencyVancouver, Canada
| | - E M Simpson
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics and Child & Family Research InstituteVancouver, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British ColumbiaVancouver, Canada
- Corresponding author: Elizabeth M. Simpson, 3020 980 West 28 Ave, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5Z 4H4. E-mail:
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8
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Colón-Cesario WI, Martínez-Montemayor MM, Morales S, Félix J, Cruz J, Adorno M, Pereira L, Colón N, Maldonado-Vlaar CS, Peña de Ortiz S. Knockdown of Nurr1 in the rat hippocampus: implications to spatial discrimination learning and memory. Learn Mem 2006; 13:734-44. [PMID: 17142303 PMCID: PMC1783627 DOI: 10.1101/lm.407706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2006] [Accepted: 09/01/2006] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Nurr1 expression is up-regulated in the brain following associative learning experiences, but its relevance to cognitive processes remains unclear. In these studies, rats initially received bilateral hippocampal infusions of control or antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) 1 h prior to training in a holeboard spatial discrimination task. Such pre-training infusions of nurr1 antisense ODNs caused a moderate effect in learning the task and also impaired LTM tested 7 d later. In a second experiment, ODN infusions were given immediately after the animals had received two sessions of training, during which all animals showed normal learning. Although antisense treated rats were significantly impaired during the post-infusion stages of acquisition of the task, no group differences were observed during the LTM test given 7 d later. These animals were subjected 3 d later to reversal training in the same maze in the absence of any additional treatments. Remarkably, rats previously treated with antisense ODNs displayed perseveration: The animals were fixated with the previously learned pattern of baited holes, causing them to be significantly impaired in the extinction of acquired spatial preferences and future learning. We postulate that Nurr1 function in the hippocampus is important for normal cognitive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sohaira Morales
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00931-3360, Puerto Rico
| | - Jahaira Félix
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00931-3360, Puerto Rico
| | - Juan Cruz
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00931-3360, Puerto Rico
| | - Monique Adorno
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00931-3360, Puerto Rico
| | - Lixmar Pereira
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00931-3360, Puerto Rico
| | - Nydia Colón
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00931-3360, Puerto Rico
| | | | - Sandra Peña de Ortiz
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00931-3360, Puerto Rico
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9
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Abstract
To liberate candidate gene analyses from criticisms of inexhaustiveness of examination of specific candidate genes, or incompleteness in the choice of candidate genes to study for specific neurobiological pathways, study of sizeable sets of genes pertinent to each putative pathophysiological pathway is required. For many years, genes have been tested in a 'one by one' manner for association with major affective disorders, primarily bipolar illness. However, it is conceivable that not individual genes but abnormalities in several genes within a system or in several neuronal, neural, or hormonal systems are implicated in the functional hypotheses for etiology of affective disorders. Compilation of candidate genes for entire pathways is a challenge, but can reasonably be carried out for the major affective disorders as discussed here. We present here five groupings of genes implicated by neuropharmacological and other evidence, which suggest 252 candidate genes worth examining. Inexhaustiveness of gene interrogation would apply to many studies in which only one polymorphism per gene is analyzed. In contrast to whole-genome association studies, a study of a limited number of candidate genes can readily exploit information on genomic sequence variations obtained from databases and/or resequencing, and has an advantage of not having the complication of an extremely stringent statistical criterion for association.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Hattori
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
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10
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Abrahams BS, Kwok MCH, Trinh E, Budaghzadeh S, Hossain SM, Simpson EM. Pathological aggression in "fierce" mice corrected by human nuclear receptor 2E1. J Neurosci 2005; 25:6263-70. [PMID: 16000615 PMCID: PMC6725287 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.4757-04.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2004] [Revised: 05/20/2005] [Accepted: 05/22/2005] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
"Fierce" mice, homozygous for the deletion of nuclear receptor 2E1 (NR2E1), show abnormal brain-eye development and pathological aggression. To evaluate functional equivalency between mouse and human NR2E1, we generated mice transgenic for a genomic clone spanning the human NR2E1 locus and bred these animals to fierce mice deleted for the corresponding mouse gene. In fierce mutants carrying human NR2E1, structural brain defects were eliminated and eye abnormalities ameliorated. Excitingly, behavior in these "rescue" mice was indistinguishable from controls. Because no artificial promoter was used to drive transgene expression, promoter and regulatory elements within the human NR2E1 clone are functional in mouse. Normal behavior in rescue animals suggests that mechanisms underlying the behavioral abnormalities in fierce mice may also be conserved in humans. Our data support the hypothesis that variation at NR2E1 may contribute to human behavioral disorders. Use of this rescue paradigm with other genes will permit the direct evaluation of human genes hypothesized to play a causal role in psychiatric disease but for which evidence is lacking or equivocal.
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MESH Headings
- Aggression/physiology
- Agonistic Behavior/physiology
- Animals
- Brain/abnormalities
- Brain/embryology
- Cerebral Cortex/abnormalities
- Congenital Abnormalities/embryology
- Congenital Abnormalities/genetics
- Congenital Abnormalities/therapy
- Crosses, Genetic
- Exploratory Behavior/physiology
- Eye Abnormalities/embryology
- Eye Abnormalities/genetics
- Eye Abnormalities/therapy
- Female
- Genotype
- Humans
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Knockout
- Mice, Transgenic
- Olfactory Bulb/abnormalities
- Orphan Nuclear Receptors
- Phenotype
- Promoter Regions, Genetic
- Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/chemistry
- Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/deficiency
- Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/genetics
- Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/physiology
- Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid
- Retina/abnormalities
- Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Species Specificity
- Territoriality
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett S Abrahams
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, British Columbia Research Institute for Children's and Women's Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V5Z 4H4, Canada
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11
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Feng J, Chen J, Yan J, Jones IR, Craddock N, Cook EH, Goldman D, Heston LL, Sommer SS. Structural variants in the retinoid receptor genes in patients with schizophrenia and other psychiatric diseases. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2005; 133B:50-3. [PMID: 15635645 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.30113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Retinoid receptors (RARs and RXRs) regulate brain morphogenesis and function. Defects in these receptors may contribute to schizophrenia or other psychiatric diseases. To test the hypothesis that genetic variants of the retinoid receptor genes may predispose to schizophrenia and other psychiatric diseases, the six RAR and RXR genes and a heterodimer partner, the NURR1 gene, were scanned in 100 schizophrenia patients, along with pilot studies in 20-24 patients with bipolar disorder (BPD), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, or alcoholism. A total of 5.4 megabases of genomic sequence was scanned. No variants affecting protein structure or expression (VAPSEs) were found in four of the genes. One uncommon missense variant was found in each of the RARbeta, RARgamma, and RXRgamma genes. We conclude that structural variants in the RAR/RXR and NURR1 genes do not play a major role in the etiology of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinong Feng
- Department of Molecular Genetics, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California 91010-3000, USA
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12
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Ruano D, Macedo A, Dourado A, Soares MJ, Valente J, Coelho I, Santos V, Azevedo MH, Goodman A, Hutz MH, Gama C, Lobato MI, Belmonte-de-Abreu P, Palha JA. NR4A2 and schizophrenia: lack of association in a Portuguese/Brazilian study. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2004; 128B:41-5. [PMID: 15211629 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.30031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The present study investigates the association of mutations in the nuclear receptor NR4A2 in schizophrenic patients. The human Nur-related receptor 1, NR4A2, is an orphan nuclear receptor that can be constitutively active as a transcription factor and for which no natural ligand has yet been identified. Alone or with retinoid X receptor, RXR, NR4A2 influences the expression of several genes important for human brain development and regulation. In the absence of Nurr1 (the mouse homologue to human NR4A2), ventral mesencephalic dopaminergic mouse neurons evidence severe developmental failure, a condition that is lethal soon after birth. Nurr1 involvement in the dopaminergic system makes it a good candidate for study in neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and Parkinson disease. Evidence by others support this hypothesis (1) mapping of the NR4A2 gene to chromosome 2q22-23, a region with suggestive linkage to schizophrenia and (2) identification of mutations in patients with schizophrenia (c.366-369delTAC, c.308A > G, c.-469delG), manic depression (c.289A > G), and familial Parkinson's disease (c.-291delT, c.-245T > G). To further extend these observations, we searched for all these mutations in 176 Caucasian Portuguese and 82 Caucasian Brazilian subjects with lifetime diagnosis of schizophrenia. The study failed to identify any of the described mutations in patients or controls. Nevertheless, these negative results do not exclude altered expression of nuclear receptors in schizophrenia or the presence of other mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina Ruano
- Health Sciences School, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
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