title: Association of glutathione s-transferase gene methylation with risk of schizophrenia in an Iranian population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It has been believed that epigenetic changes play a critical role in schizophrenia through improper interaction between genome and environmental risk factors. The aim of this case-control study was to investigate the association of the promoter hypermethylation status of glutathione S-transferase T1 (GSTT1) and glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) genes with the risk of schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Methylation-specific PCR was used to estimate DNA methylation in the blood of 80 patients with schizophrenia and 71 healthy controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Promoter hypermethylation analysis of GSTT and GSTP indicated a significant difference between individuals with methylated and unmethylated status [odds ratio (OR) = 0.339, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 0.14-0.8, p = 0.012 and OR = 0.308, 95% CI = 0.135-0.7, p = 0.005, respectively].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study supports the hypothesis that impairment in the promoter region of GSTT and GSTP genes by hypermethylation may increase the risk of schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran.
authors.forename: Dor Mohammad
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Kordi-Tamandani
authors.forename: Azizollah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mojahed
authors.forename: Roya
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sahranavard
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Najafi
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019175:DNA Methylation; D051549:Glutathione S-Transferase pi / Q000235:genetics*; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C413545:glutathione S-transferase T1; C496556:GSTP1 protein, human; D051549:Glutathione S-Transferase pi; D005982:Glutathione Transferase