DNA methyltransferase 3B gene increases risk of early onset schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
Consistent evidence indicated that aberrant DNA methylation may be involved in the development of schizophrenia. DNA methyltransferase 3B (DNMT3B) is the key methyltransferase in DNA methylation regulations. In this study, we investigated the association between DNMT3B polymorphisms and the susceptibility of early onset schizophrenia in Chinese Han population.


METHODS
Case-control (patients=381 and controls=472) and family based (trios=103) study was performed through genotyping two tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs2424908 and rs6119954) covering the whole DNMT3B gene. Single nucleotide polymorphism association and haplotype analysis were performed.


RESULTS
The frequency of G allele of rs6119954 was significantly higher in patients than that in controls (P=0.017). Genotype distribution of rs6119954 was significantly different between patients and controls (P=0.046). A haplotype-wise analysis revealed a higher frequency of the T-G (rs2424908-rs6119954) haplotype in patients than that in controls (P=0.033). In the transmission disequilibrium test analysis, G allele of rs6119954 was preferentially transmitted in the trios (P=0.030).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings indicate that DNMT3B may be a candidate gene for susceptibility to early onset schizophrenia.
Zhang
Chen
C
Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China.
Fang
Yiru
Y
Xie
Bin
B
Cheng
Wenhong
W
Du
Yasong
Y
Wang
Dongxiang
D
Yu
Shunying
S
D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D000097584:DNA Methyltransferase 3B
D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases; D000097584:DNA Methyltransferase 3B