Connexin 50 gene on human chromosome 1q21 is associated with schizophrenia in matched case control and family-based studies.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The gap junction subunit connexin permits direct intercellular exchange of ions and molecules including glutamate, and plays an important role in the central nervous system. The connexin 40 (Cx40) and connexin 50 (Cx50) genes are located on chromosome 1q21.1, a region strongly linked with schizophrenia. These lines of evidence suggest that Cx40 and Cx50 may play a role in schizophrenia.

Methods

Using an allele-specific PCR assay, four polymorphisms each were genotyped for Cx40 and Cx50 in 190 Caucasian patients with schizophrenia and 190 controls matched for sex, age and ethnicity. Following up, Cx50 rs989192 and rs4950495 were investigated in 99 Canadian and 163 Portuguese trios and nuclear families with schizophrenia probands. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and link

SUBMITTER: Ni X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2597930 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature