Evidence for an allelic association between bipolar disorder and a Na+, K+ adenosine triphosphatase alpha subunit gene (ATP1A3).
BACKGROUND
Disturbances in central nervous system Na+, K+ adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity have previously been proposed as being involved in the pathophysiology of bipolar mood disorder.


METHODS
We have examined one particular alpha subunit of this enzyme for allelic association in a sample of 85 Irish bipolar patients and 85 matched controls.


RESULTS
There was evidence for an overall allelic association between the disease and a dinucleotide polymorphism within the ATP1A3 gene (p = .022). Subjects were then analyzed on the basis of a number of criteria, and the significance of the association increased when cases were divided based on the nature of the first episode. Patients who presented with a depressive episode first showed a significant association (p = .001) with this polymorphism.


CONCLUSIONS
The results presented here provide preliminary evidence of an association between bipolar disorder and an alpha subunit of Na+, K+ ATPase, the expression of which predominates in the brain.
Mynett-Johnson
L
L
Department of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.
Murphy
V
V
McCormack
J
J
Shields
D C
DC
Claffey
E
E
Manley
P
P
McKeon
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D018900:Dinucleotide Repeats / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology
D005819:Genetic Markers; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase