Epidermal growth factor gene polymorphism is different between schizophrenia and lung cancer patients in Korean population

• Published in: Neuroscience letters Vol. 374; no. 3; pp. 157 - 160
• Main Authors: Lim, Yun Jeong, Kim, Jong-Woo, Song, Ji Young, Hong, Mee-Suk, Jin, Sheng-Yu, Yoon, Seo Hyun, Park, Hae Jeong, Choe, Bong-Keun, Lee, Jung Joo, Yim, Sung-Vin, Hong, Seok-Il, Baik, Hyung Hwan, Ha, Eunyoung, Park, Yeon Hee
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 21.02.2005; Elsevier
• Subjects: 5' Untranslated Regions - genetics; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Epidermal growth factor (EGF); Epidermal Growth Factor - genetics; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Frequency; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genotype; Humans; Korea - ethnology; Lung cancer; Lung Neoplasms - ethnology; Lung Neoplasms - genetics; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Odds Ratio; Polymorphism; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychoses; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenia - ethnology; Schizophrenia - genetics; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Korea; Schizophrenia; Lung cancer; Epidermal growth factor (EGF); Polymorphism; Psychosis; Human; Lung disease; Epidermal growth factor; Respiratory disease
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2004.10.055

Low incidence of cancer in schizophrenia is one of the interesting puzzles in psychiatric field over decades. Analysis of genetic difference between schizophrenia and lung cancer might provide us with possible clues to understand molecular mechanisms of pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Epidermal growth factor (EGF), one of the potent growth promoting factors, has been studied for its roles in cancer development. EGF is also known to be involved in cognitive function. In order to analyze the genetic difference between schizophrenia and lung cancer, polymorphism of EGF gene was studied from 174 schizophrenia patients, 122 lung cancer patients and 132 controls in Korean population. Genotype frequency analysis of EGF gene ( AluI restriction site, 5′-UTR, rs4444903) in the EGF gene was studied. The genotype and allele frequencies of the AluI polymorphism showed significant differences between schizophrenia and lung cancer patients [ p < 0.0001; p < 0.0001, odds ratio (95% CI), 0.3690 (0.2600–0.5236)]. When compared with controls, schizophrenia patients showed no significant differences from controls in genotype and allele frequencies [ p = 0.5151; p = 0.3516, odds ratio (95% CI), 0.8589 (0.6235–1.1830)]. However, lung cancer patients showed significant differences from controls in genotype and allele frequencies [ p < 0.0001; p < 0.0001, odds ratio (95% CI), 2.3275 (1.6082–3.3687)]. These results indicate that schizophrenia is not associated with AluI polymorphism of EGF gene and EGF gene polymorphism is different between schizophrenia and lung cancer patients.