Positive association of the pericentrin (PCNT) gene with major depressive disorder in the Japanese population.
BACKGROUND
Pericentrin (PCNT) interacts with disruption-in-schizophrenia 1 (DISC1), a known genetic risk factor for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder (MDD). We sought to determine whether the PCNT gene is implicated in MDD.


METHODS
We performed case-control association analyses in the Japanese population. We analyzed 9 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 173 patients with MDD and 348 healthy controls.


RESULTS
We found a significant allelic association between 3 SNPs (rs3788265, rs2073376 and rs2073380) of the PCNT gene and MDD (p = 0.006, 0.005 and 0.021, respectively). After correction for multiple testing, 2 SNPs (rs3788265 and rs2073376) retained significant allelic associations with MDD. In addition, we found a significant association between the 2 marker haplotypes (r3788265 and rs2073376) and MDD (permutation p = 0.011).


CONCLUSIONS
Our sample was small and comprised only Japanese participants. In addition, owing to the late onset of MDD, it is possible that the disorder will develop in at least some participants in our control group. Finally, we did not show how SNPs of the PCNT gene alter its function.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that genetic variations in the PCNT gene may play a significant role in the etiology of MDD in the Japanese population.
Numata
Shusuke
S
Department of Psychiatry, Course of Integrated Brain Sciences, Medical Informatics, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, 3-8-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan. shu-numata@umin.ac.jp
Iga
Jun-Ichi
J
Nakataki
Masahito
M
Tayoshi
Shin'ya
S
Tanahashi
Toshihito
T
Itakura
Mitsuo
M
Ueno
Shu-Ichi
S
Ohmori
Tetsuro
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000941:Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012984:Software; D055815:Young Adult
D000941:Antigens; C086178:pericentrin