Association between polymorphisms in the genes for tumor suppressor protein p53 and its regulator NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) and schizophrenia in a Syrian study cohort.
OBJECTIVE
The contribution of genetic factors to the susceptibility for developing schizophrenia is well established. Several hypotheses have been developed in an attempt to identify the pathophysiological mechanisms in schizophrenia, with several findings implicating an important role for apoptosis. A limited number of studies investigated the effects of polymorphisms in apoptotic genes on the susceptibility to schizophrenia in different ethnic groups, with none involving an Arab population. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between multiple polymorphisms in genes for the central apoptotic protein p53 and its regulator NQO1 and the susceptibility for developing schizophrenia in an Arab population from Syria.


METHODS
The studied polymorphisms included exon 4 G>C Arg72Pro (rs1042522), IVS3 16 bp Del/Ins (rs17878362), and MspI IVS6+62A>G (rs1625895) of the TP53 gene, and C609T of the NQO1 gene. The study cohort consisted of 90 patients and 144 healthy controls. Association with each of the four polymorphisms was tested under numerous genetic models. The four polymorphisms were genotyped simultaneously using a quadruplex Tetra-Primer ARMS-PCR method described earlier. The combined effects of polymorphisms in NQO1 and TP53 genes were examined.


RESULTS
No statistically significant association was found for any of the four polymorphisms.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results do not support an association between the studied polymorphisms and schizophrenia in the Syrian population.
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria. BassamL7@yahoo.co.uk
Bassam
B
Lajin
Amal
A
Alachkar
Roula
R
Michati
Amir
A
Alhaj Sakur
D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D016158:Genes, p53; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone) / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics*; D013593:Syria; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics
D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone); C447479:NQO1 protein, human