Abstract |
Accumulating evidence suggests that the pathologic lesions of schizophrenia may in part be due to the altered cytoskeletal architecture of neurons. Microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) that bind to cytoskeletal microtubules to stabilize their assembly are prominently expressed in neurons. Of the MAPs, MAP6 (STOP) has a particular relevance to schizophrenia pathology, since mice deficient in the gene display neuroleptic-responsive behavioral defects. Here we examined the genetic contribution of MAP6 to schizophrenia in a case (n = 570) -control (n = 570) study, using dense single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. We detected nominal allelic (p = 0.0291) and haplotypic (global p = 0.0343 for 2 SNP-window, global p = 0.0138 for 3 SNP-window) associations between the 3' genomic interval of the gene and schizophrenia. MAP6 transcripts are expressed as two isoforms. A postmortem brain expression study showed up-regulation of mRNA isoform 2 in the prefrontal cortex (Brodmann's area 46) of patients with schizophrenia. These data suggest that the contribution of MAP6 to the processes that lead to schizophrenia should be further investigated.
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Authors | Hiromitsu Shimizu, Yoshimi Iwayama, Kazuo Yamada, Tomoko Toyota, Yoshio Minabe, Kauhiko Nakamura, Mizuho Nakajima, Eiji Hattori, Norio Mori, Noriko Osumi, Takeo Yoshikawa |
Journal | Schizophrenia research
(Schizophr Res)
Vol. 84
Issue 2-3
Pg. 244-52
(Jun 2006)
ISSN: 0920-9964 [Print] Netherlands |
PMID | 16624526
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Chemical References |
- MAP6 protein, human
- Microtubule-Associated Proteins
- Protein Isoforms
- RNA, Messenger
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Topics |
- Adult
- Brain
(pathology)
- Case-Control Studies
- Female
- Gene Expression
- Gene Frequency
- Genotype
- Haplotypes
- Humans
- Male
- Microtubule-Associated Proteins
(genetics)
- Middle Aged
- Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
- Protein Isoforms
- RNA, Messenger
- Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Schizophrenia
(genetics, pathology)
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