Association Study between Norepinephrine Transporter Gene Polymorphism and Schizophrenia in a Korean Population.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to investigate possible associations between three norepinephrine transporter gene (SLC6A2) single nucleotide polymorphisms (T182C, A3081T, and G1287A) and schizophrenia. Also, we investigated the relationships of those polymorphisms with clinical severity and characteristics of schizophrenia.


METHODS
Participants were 220 schizophrenia patients in the acute phase and 167 healthy controls. The genotype, allele frequency, and haplotype of each group were analyzed for T182C, A3081T, and G1287A polymorphisms. Of the 220 schizophrenia patients, 163 patients were evaluated with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Korean version of the Calgary depression scale for schizophrenia (K-CDSS) at baseline.


RESULTS
We found no significant differences between the schizophrenia patient group and the control group in genotype distribution or allele frequency of the three tested polymorphisms. Likewise, we could not find any significant differences in genotype or allele frequency by analyzing according to gender. In the haplotype study, no significant association emerged between specific haplotype combinations and schizophrenia. We also found no association between clinical scales (PANSS and K-CDSS) and the studied polymorphisms.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that the investigated polymorphisms of the NET gene are not associated with susceptibility to schizophrenia or its clinical features in a Korean population. However, this study remains significant because it is the first haplotype study to investigate associations between NET gene (SLC6A2) single nucleotide polymorphisms and schizophrenia in a Korean population. Future research with a larger sample size and more genetic markers is needed to replicate our results.
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Mira
M
Choo
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jung-A
JA
Hwang
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Sang Won
SW
Jeon
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
So-Young
SY
Oh
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Ho-Kyoung
HK
Yoon
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Heon-Jeong
HJ
Lee
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Yong-Ku
YK
Kim
Gene; NET gene; Schizophrenia; Single nucleotide polymorphism