title: Association of the FGA and SLC6A4 genes with autistic spectrum disorder in a Korean population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurobiological disorder characterized by distinctive impairments in cognitive function, language, and behavior. Linkage and population studies suggest a genetic association between solute carrier family 6 member 4 (SLC6A4) variants and ASD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Logistic regression was used to identify associations between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and ASD with 3 alternative models (additive, dominant, and recessive). Linear regression analysis was performed to determine the influence of SNPs on Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) scores as a quantitative phenotype.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the present study, we examined the associations of SNPs in the SLC6A4 gene and the fibrinogen alpha chain (FGA) gene. Logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between the risk of ASD and rs2070025 and rs2070011 in the FGA gene. The gene-gene interaction between SLC6A4 and FGA was not significantly associated with ASD susceptibility. However, polymorphisms in both SLC6A4 and the FGA gene significantly affected the symptoms of ASD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicate that FGA and SLC6A4 gene interactions may contribute to the phenotypes of ASD rather than the incidence of ASD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Science, College of Life Science, CHA University, Seongnam, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Myungja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ro
authors.forename: Seongsik
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Won
authors.forename: Hyunjun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Su-Yeon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seung Ku
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: Hee Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Bang
authors.forename: Jae Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Kyung-Sik
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Su Kang
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Joo-Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Kyubum
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kwack
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004843:Epistasis, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000235:genetics*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; C464794:fibrinogen Aalpha; D005340:Fibrinogen