NGF polymorphisms and haplotypes are associated with schizophrenia in Korean population

Morphogenetic theory of mental and cognitive disorders: the role of neurotrophic and guidance molecules

Mental illness and cognitive disorders represent a serious problem for the modern society. Many studies indicate that mental disorders are polygenic and that impaired brain development may lay the ground for their manifestation. Neural tissue development is a complex and multistage process that involves a large number of distant and contact molecules. In this review, we have considered the key steps of brain morphogenesis, and the major molecule families involved in these process. The review provides many indications of the important contribution of the brain development process and correct functioning of certain genes to human mental health. To our knowledge, this comprehensive review is one of the first in this field. We suppose that this review may be useful to novice researchers and clinicians wishing to navigate the field.

Prospects for Neurotrophic Factor-Based Early Intervention in Schizophrenia: Lessons Learned from the Effects of Antipsychotic Drugs on Cognition, Neurogenesis, and Neurotrophic Factors

Although reducing psychotic symptoms in schizophrenia has been a major focus of therapeutic interventions for decades, improving cognition is considered a better predictor of functional outcomes. However, the most commonly prescribed antipsychotic drugs (APDs) show only marginal beneficial effects on cognition in patients with schizophrenia. The neural mechanisms underlying cognitive disturbances in schizophrenia remain unknown that making drug development efforts very challenging. Since neurotrophic factors are the primary architects of neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory, the findings from preclinical and clinical studies that assess changes in neurogenesis and neurotrophic factors and their relationship to cognitive performance in schizophrenia, and how these mechanisms might be impacted by APD treatment, may provide valuable clues in developing therapies to combat cognitive deficit in schizophrenia. Numerous evidence produced over the years suggests a deficit in a wide spectrum of neurotrophic factors in schizophrenia. Since schizophrenia is considered a neurodevelopmental disorder, early intervention with neurotrophic factors may be more effective in ameliorating the cognitive deficits and psychopathological symptoms associated with this pathology. In this context, results from initial clinical trials with neurotrophic factors and their future potential to improve cognition and psychosocial functioning in schizophrenia are discussed.

The interaction of ASAH1 and NGF gene involving in neurotrophin signaling pathway contributes to schizophrenia susceptibility and psychopathology

The neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia has been widely accepted. In light of our previous microarray data, two neurodevelopment-related genes were focused on inclduing the N-acylsphingosine amidohydrolase 1 gene (ASAH1) and the nerve growth factor gene (NGF). The evidence that ASAH1 and NGF are associated with schizophrenia is far from conclusive. Furthermore, their interactions in schizophrenia have not been investigated. Total 413 patients and 578 controls were included. Eleven single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ASAH1 and NGF were selected. A multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) was applied to investigate gene-gene interactions in schizophrenia, and the traditional odds ratio methods was applied to validate it. The effects of ASAH1, NGF and their interaction on the severity of the disease were analyzed by 3 × 3 covariance analysis of (ANCOVA). The biological interaction between ASAH1 and NGF was examined. KEGG was used to identify the related signaling pathways. After correction by Bonferroni, there were no differences in the genotypic, allelic, or haplotypic frequencies of 11 SNPs between patients and controls. However, the interaction of certain SNPs had effect on susceptibility to schizophrenia, including two high-risk and one low-risk genotypic combinations (OR = 1.49 [1.11-2.00]; OR = 1.45 [1.09-1.92], and OR = 0.64 [0.41-0.98]). ASAH1-rs7830490 and its interaction with NGF-rs4332358 were associated with the general psychopathological subscale score (F _adjusted = 3.94, p _adjusted = 0.01; F _adjusted = 2.36, p _adjusted = 0.03). We also found that ASAH1 and NGF interacted with CaMK2B involving in the neurotrophin signaling pathway. Our results suggest that the interaction of ASAH1 and NGF with CaMK2B involved in neurotrophin signaling pathway may contribute to schizophrenia susceptibility and psychopathology.

Harm avoidance involved in mediating the association between nerve growth factor (NGF) gene polymorphisms and antidepressant efficacy in patients with major depressive disorder

BACKGROUND

Antidepressants have variable efficacies in subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD). Nerve growth factor (NGF) has been suggested to play an important role in the pathogenesis of depressive symptoms and the response to antidepressant therapy. The aim of this study was to examine whether NGF gene polymorphisms are associated with the antidepressant therapeutic efficacy in subjects with MDD.

METHODS

A naturalistic follow-up study was carried out on 557 subjects with MDD. Of the enrolled patients, 304 completed the 8-week open-label antidepressant treatment. Seven single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the NGF gene were genotyped. The 21-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale was used to assess depressive severity from baseline to endpoint. Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire was used to assess baseline personality traits. Single marker and haplotype analyses were conducted. Binary logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios of remission. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the predicted mediation effect.

RESULTS

A significant difference in genotype frequencies between remitters and non-remitters was observed in three NGF SNPs (rs12760036, rs7523654, and rs17033692). The haplotype analysis revealed that the CCC haplotype (rs2254527-rs6678788-rs12760036) was associated with a higher remission rate, while the CCA haplotype was associated with a lower remission rate. The harm avoidance psychological factor partially mediated the effect of NGF variants on antidepressant efficacy.

LIMITATIONS

The selected SNPs may not cover whole NGF gene.

CONCLUSIONS

NGF variants are associated with remission rates after 8-week antidepressant treatment, and harm avoidance partially mediated the effect of NGF variants on treatment outcomes.

Nerve growth factor and its receptor in schizophrenia

Promising studies suggest that defects in synaptic plasticity detected in schizophrenia may be linked to neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative abnormalities and contribute to disease-associated cognitive impairment. We aimed to clarify the role of the synaptic plasticity regulatory proteins, nerve growth factor (NGF) and its receptor (NGFR) in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia by comparative analysis of their blood levels and functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes encoding these proteins (NGF and NGFR) in schizophrenia-affected and healthy subjects. Relationships between the selected SNPs' genotypes and NGF and NGFR plasma levels were also assessed. Our results demonstrated a positive association between schizophrenia and the NGF rs6330 as well as the NGFR rs11466155 and rs2072446 SNPs. Also, a negative association between this disorder and NGF rs4839435 as well as NGFR rs734194 was found. In both, haloperidol-treated and antipsychotic-free patients decreased blood levels of the NGF and NGFR were found, and a positive interrelation between rs6330 and rs2072446 carriage and decreased NGF and NGFR levels, respectively, was revealed. In conclusion, our results demonstrate association of schizophrenia with the rs6330, rs4839435 and rs734194, rs11466155, rs2072446 as well as with the decreased blood levels of corresponding proteins. Our findings indicate the implication of alterations in NGFR and NGFR genes in schizophrenia, particularly, in defects of synaptic plasticity. Furthermore, the data obtained suggests that at least in Armenian population the NGF rs6330*T and NGFR rs11466155*T, rs2072446*T alleles might be nominated as risk factors, whereas the NGF rs4839435*A and NGFR rs734194*G alleles might be protective against developing schizophrenia.

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The NGF and NGFR functional polymorphisms in schizophrenia-affected and healthy subjects were studied.

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Blood plasma levels of these proteins were also evaluated.

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Decreased NGF and NGFR levels in schizophrenia patients were detected.

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The rs6330*T and rs2072446*T carriage was interrelated with low NGF and NGFR levels, respectively.

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The NGF rs6330*T and NGFR rs11466155*T, rs2072446*T alleles might be nominated as risk factors.

Interleukin-1 beta polymorphisms are associated with lymph node metastasis in Korean patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma

In this study, we investigated whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the interleukin-1 beta (IL-1B) were associated with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). We also assessed the relationships between IL-1B SNPs and the clinicopathologic characteristics of PTC patients. Ninety-three PTC patients and 324 controls were recruited. The patients with PTC were dichotomized and compared with respect to the clinicopathologic characteristics of PTC. Seven SNPs in the IL-1B gene were selected and genotyped using direct sequencing. Four SNPs (rs1143627, rs3136558, rs1143633, and rs1143643) in the IL-1B gene were significantly associated with PTC (p < 0.05). In clinicopathologic features, 3 SNPs (rs1143630, rs1143633, and rs1143643) showed a strong relationship with lymph node metastasis of PTC. The genotype and allele frequencies of rs1143630 and rs1143643 remained significantly associated with lymph node metastasis after Bonferroni correction for multiple testing. In haplotype analysis, two linkage disequilibrium blocks (block 1 consisted of rs1143627, rs3917356, and rs1143630; block 2 consisted of rs1143633 and rs1143643) also revealed significant associations with lymph node metastasis. Our results suggest that IL-1B polymorphisms may be associated with the risk of PTC in the Korean population. Especially, IL-1B polymorphisms might be a predictive factor for lymph node metastasis of PTC patients.

The C allele of synonymous SNP (rs1142636, Asn170Asn) in SYN1 is a risk factor for the susceptibility of Korean female schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the exonic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of synapsin I (SYN1) (rs1142636, Asn170Asn, Xp11.23) and SYN2 (rs2289708, 3'-untranslated region, 3p25) in schizopherenia.

METHODS

Two hundred eighty six schizophrenia patients and 304 control subjects were recruited. SNPs with a know heterozygosity and minor allele frequency (MAF) > 0.1 in Asian populations were selected and genotyped by direct sequencing.

RESULTS

The allelic frequencies of rs1142636 (SYN1) were associated with schizophrenia (P < 0.05), respectively. The allelic frequency of rs1142636 in all subjects was associated with schizophrenia [P = 0.000059, OR = 2.17 (95% CI = 1.47-3.18)]. The C allele frequency of rs1142636 was higher in schizophrenia (20.8%) than that in controls (10.8%). In the analysis of gender, the allelic frequency of rs1142636 was also strongly associated with female schizophrenia [P = 0.0001, OR = 2.65 (95% CI = 1.61-4.36)], but not with male schizophrenia. The C allele frequency of rs1142636 was higher in female schizophrenia (22.2%) than that in female controls (9.7%). The rs2289708 SNP (SYN2) did not show any association between schizophrenia and controls.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that the C allele of a synonymous SNP (rs1142636, Asn170Asn, Xp11.23) in SYN1 may be a risk factor for the susceptibility of Koreran female schizophrenia.