A new risk locus in the ZEB2 gene for schizophrenia in the Han Chinese population

• Published in: Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry Vol. 66; pp. 97 - 103
• Main Authors: Khan, Raja Amjad Waheed, Chen, Jianhua, Wang, Meng, Li, Zhiqiang, Shen, Jiawei, Wen, Zujia, Song, Zhijian, Li, Wenjin, Xu, Yifeng, Wang, Lin, Shi, Yongyong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Inc 03.04.2016
• Subjects: Adult; Asian Continental Ancestry Group - genetics; Bipolar disorder; Bipolar Disorder - genetics; Case-Control Studies; Case–control study; China; Depressive Disorder, Major - genetics; Female; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genome-Wide Association Study; Genotype; Han Chinese; Haplotypes; Homeodomain Proteins - genetics; Humans; Major depressive disorder; Male; Middle Aged; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Repressor Proteins - genetics; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenia - genetics; Young Adult; ZEB2; Zinc Finger E-box Binding Homeobox 2; DSM-IV; ITIHS; GWAS; OR; LMAN2L; Schizophrenia; Bipolar disorder; PARP; Han Chinese; SCZ; MDD; Case–control study; Chi2; Major depressive disorder; JPT; YRI; CEU; ZEB2; DALYs; BPD; LD; SCID-1; CHB
• ISSN: 0278-5846; 1878-4216
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2015.12.001

The ZEB2 gene encodes the Zinc Finger E-box binding protein. As a key regulator of epithelial mesenchymal differentiation, ZEB2 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of cancer, and its high level expression has been observed in glioma patients. Different mutations in this gene have been identified in patients with Mowat–Wilson syndrome. A previous genome-wide association study (GWAS) of schizophrenia conducted in Caucasians has shown a significant association of rs12991836, located near the ZEB2 gene, with schizophrenia. Thus, we conducted a case control study to further investigate whether this genomic region is also a susceptibility locus for schizophrenia in the Han Chinese population. In total, 1248 schizophrenia (SCZ) cases (mean age±S.D., 36.44±9.0years), 1344 bipolar disorder (BPD) cases (mean age±S.D., 34.84±11.44years), 1056 major depressive disorder (MDD) cases (mean age±S.D., 34.41±12.09years) and 1248 healthy control samples (mean age±S.D., 30.62±11.35years) were recruited. We genotyped 12 SNPs using the Sequenom MassARRAY platform in this study. We found that rs6755392 showed a significant association with SCZ (rs6755392: adjusted Pallele=0.016; adjusted Pgenotype=0.052; OR (95% CI)=1.201 (1.073~1.344)). Additionally, two haplotypes (TCTG, TCTA) were also significantly associated with SCZ. This is the first study claiming the association of the genetic risks of rs6755392 in the ZEB2 gene with schizophrenia. •Association of genetic risk of rs6755392 in the ZEB2 gene with schizophrenia will provide new avenues for future research.