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Biomedical subjects

Sven Cichon

Publications and source records attributed to Sven Cichon.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

1q21.1 distal copy number variants are associated with cerebral and cognitive alterations in humans.

Low-frequency 1q21.1 distal deletion and duplication copy number variant (CNV) carriers are predisposed to multiple neurodevelopmental disorders, including schizophrenia, autism and intellectual disability. Human carriers display a high prevalence of micro- and macrocephaly in deletion and duplication carriers, respectively. The underlying brain structural diversity remains largely unknown. We systematically called CNVs in 38 cohorts from the large-scale ENIGMA-CNV collaboration and the UK Biobank and identified 28 1q21.1 distal deletion and 22 duplication carriers and 37,088 non-carriers (48% male) derived from 15 distinct magnetic resonance imaging scanner sites. With standardized methods, we compared subcortical and cortical brain measures (all) and cognitive performance (UK Biobank only) between carrier groups also testing for mediation of brain structure on cognition. We identified positive dosage effects of copy number on intracranial volume (ICV) and total cortical surface area, with the largest effects in frontal and cingulate cortices, and negative dosage effects on caudate and hippocampal volumes. The carriers displayed distinct cognitive deficit profiles in cognitive tasks from the UK Biobank with intermediate decreases in duplication carriers and somewhat larger in deletion carriers-the latter potentially mediated by ICV or cortical surface area. These results shed light on pathobiological mechanisms of neurodevelopmental disorders, by demonstrating gene dose effect on specific brain structures and effect on cognitive function.

Brain↗

Genome scan meta-analysis of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, part III: Bipolar disorder.

Genome scans of bipolar disorder (BPD) have not produced consistent evidence for linkage. The rank-based genome scan meta-analysis (GSMA) method was applied to 18 BPD genome scan data sets in an effort to identify regions with significant support for linkage in the combined data. The two primary analyses considered available linkage data for "very narrow" (i.e., BP-I and schizoaffective disorder-BP) and "narrow" (i.e., adding BP-II disorder) disease models, with the ranks weighted for sample size. A "broad" model (i.e., adding recurrent major depression) and unweighted analyses were also performed. No region achieved genomewide statistical significance by several simulation-based criteria. The most significant P values (<.01) were observed on chromosomes 9p22.3-21.1 (very narrow), 10q11.21-22.1 (very narrow), and 14q24.1-32.12 (narrow). Nominally significant P values were observed in adjacent bins on chromosomes 9p and 18p-q, across all three disease models on chromosomes 14q and 18p-q, and across two models on chromosome 8q. Relatively few BPD pedigrees have been studied under narrow disease models relative to the schizophrenia GSMA data set, which produced more significant results. There was no overlap of the highest-ranked regions for the two disorders. The present results for the very narrow model are promising but suggest that more and larger data sets are needed. Alternatively, linkage might be detected in certain populations or subsets of pedigrees. The narrow and broad data sets had considerable power, according to simulation studies, but did not produce more highly significant evidence for linkage. We note that meta-analysis can sometimes provide support for linkage but cannot disprove linkage in any candidate region.

Bipolar Disorder↗

Association between a promoter dopamine D2 receptor gene variant and the personality trait detachment.

BACKGROUND: Personality traits have shown considerable heritable components. Striatal dopamine D(2) receptor density, as determined by positron-emission tomography, has been associated with detached personality, as assessed by the Karolinska Scales of Personality. A putative functional promoter polymorphism in the dopamine D(2) receptor gene (DRD2), -141C ins/del, has been associated with dopamine D(2) receptor density. METHODS: In this study healthy subjects (n = 235) who filled in at least one of several personality questionnaires (Karolinska Scales of Personality, Swedish Universities Scales of Personality, Health-relevant Five-factor Personality Inventory, and Temperament and Character Inventory) were analyzed with regard to the DRD2 -141C ins/del variant. RESULTS: There was an association (p =.001) between the DRD2 -141C ins/del variant and Karolinska Scales of Personality Detachment scale, indicating higher scores in subjects with the -141C del variant. There were also associations between the DRD2 -141C ins/del variant and a number of Karolinska Scales of Personality and Swedish Universities Scales of Personality Neuroticism-related scales, but of these only Swedish Universities Scales of Personality Lack of Assertiveness scale (p =.001) survived correction for multiple testing. CONCLUSIONS: These results add further support for the involvement of dopamine D(2) receptor in certain personality traits. The results should be treated with caution until replicated.

Genetic Predisposition to Disease↗

Hypotrichosis simplex of the scalp is associated with nonsense mutations in CDSN encoding corneodesmosin.

We have identified nonsense mutations in the gene CDSN (encoding corneodesmosin) in three families suffering from hypotrichosis simplex of the scalp (HSS; OMIM 146520). CDSN, a glycoprotein expressed in the epidermis and inner root sheath (IRS) of hair follicles, is a keratinocyte adhesion molecule. Truncated CDSN aggregates were detected in the superficial dermis and at the periphery of hair follicles. Our findings suggest that CDSN is important in normal scalp hair physiology.

Base Sequence↗

No association between a putative functional promoter variant in the dopamine beta-hydroxylase gene and schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE: Disturbances in catecholamine transmission have been implicated in schizophrenia. Dopamine beta-hydroxylase catalyses the conversion of dopamine to norepinephrine in noradrenergic cells. We attempted to investigate a putative functional promoter polymorphism in the dopamine beta-hydroxylase gene (DBH) for association with schizophrenia. METHODS: Unrelated schizophrenic patients (n=155) and control subjects (n=436) were analysed with regard to the DBH -1021 C/T variant. RESULTS: No significant allele or genotype differences were found. CONCLUSIONS: The present results do not support a major involvement of the DBH gene in schizophrenia in the Swedish population investigated.

Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase↗

Association study between two variants in the DOPA decarboxylase gene in bipolar and unipolar affective disorder.

Irregularities of dopaminergic and serotonergic neurotransmission have been implicated in a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders. DOPA decarboxylase (DDC), also known as aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase, is an enzyme involved directly in the synthesis of dopamine and serotonin and indirectly in the synthesis of noradrenaline. Therefore, the DDC gene can be considered as a candidate gene for affective disorders. Recently, two novel variants were reported in the DDC gene: a 1-bp deletion in the promoter and a 4-bp deletion in the untranslated exon 1. Subsequently, an association case-control study including 112 English patients and 80 Danish patients with bipolar affective disorder (BPAD) revealed a significant association with the 1-bp deletion. This finding prompted us to analyze whether this effect was also present in a larger and ethnically homogeneous sample of 228 unrelated German patients with BPAD (208 patients with BP I disorder, 20 patients with BP II disorder), 183 unrelated patients with unipolar affective disorder (UPAD), and 234 healthy control subjects. For both BPAD and UPAD we could not detect a genetic association with either variant. Thus, our results do not support an involvement of the 1-bp or 4-bp deletion within the DDC gene in the etiology of affective disorders.

Adult↗

Can long-range microsatellite data be used to predict short-range linkage disequilibrium?

The distribution of linkage disequilibrium (LD) across the genome is highly complex. Little is known about the relationship between long-range and short-range LD in a genomic region. We assessed whether a dense set of microsatellite data could be used to predict short-range LD in family samples. We analyzed intermarker LD in data derived from chromosomal regions 18q22 and 10q25-26, densely genotyped with microsatellite markers. The pattern of LD was highly heterogeneous within and between both chromosomal regions. On 10q25-26, very little LD was detected. On 18q22, where marker density was higher, many marker pairs were in LD. We modeled the decay of LD over distance in this region. A classical model accounted for most of the relationship between LD and distance (R (2)=63%). We used this model to predict the proportion of markers expected to show useful levels of LD at short distances. This prediction agreed with estimates based on single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker genotypes in the region. Both microsatellite and SNP data predict that about 80% of marker pairs would display levels of LD that are useful for association studies at distances of up to 15 kb in this region. These projections also agree with levels of LD directly measured in a 10 kb set of SNP genotypes generated in a nearby region of finished sequence. Our results suggest that existing sets of microsatellite data, if sufficiently dense, may be used to develop good initial estimates of the density of additional markers needed to screen a region for disease alleles by association analysis.

Chromosome Mapping↗

Association between a polymorphism in the pseudoautosomal X-linked gene SYBL1 and bipolar affective disorder.

In the past decade, several chromosomal regions have been analyzed for linkage with bipolar affective disorder (BPAD). There have been conflicting results regarding the involvement of X-chromosomal regions in harboring susceptibility genes for BPAD. Recently, a new candidate gene (SYBL1) for BPAD has been described on Xq28. SYBL1, which maps to the Xq pseudoautosomal region (PAR), encodes a member of the synaptobrevin family of proteins involved in synaptic vesicle docking, exocytosis, and membrane transport. A subsequent case-control association study, including 110 US-American patients with BPAD and 119 unrelated controls, investigated a potential etiological role of a novel polymorphism (G-->C transversion) in a regulatory region of the SYBL1 gene. In this analysis, the C allele showed a statistical trend to be more frequent in males with BPAD than in respective controls (P=0.06). This finding prompted us to verify whether a similar effect was also present in a larger German sample of 164 unrelated patients with BPAD (148 patients with BP I disorder, 16 patients with BP II disorder) and 267 controls. We observed a significantly increased frequency of genotypes homozygous for the C allele in females with BPAD in comparison with controls (P=0.017). Thus, our data strengthen the role of the SYBL1 gene as a candidate gene for BPAD.

Adult↗

Human metabotropic glutamate receptor 2 gene (GRM2): chromosomal sublocalization (3p21.1-p21.2) and genomic organization.

Imbalances in glutamatergic function have been implicated in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders. Consequently, glutamate receptors genes are promising candidates in search of susceptibility genes for these disorders. In the present study, we report the chromosomal sublocalization and genomic organization of the human metabotropic glutamate receptor 2 gene (GRM2). Using monochromosomal hybrid cell lines of NIGMS Mapping Panel 2 (Coriell Cell Repository), the GRM2 gene was localized to human chromosome 3, confirming previously reported localization. In addition, using the radiation hybrid panel RH3 (Research Genetics), we sublocalized the GRM2 gene to chromosomal region 3p21.1-p21.2. The genomic organization of the GRM2 gene was established using a premade library of adaptor-ligated, human-specific genomic DNA fragments. The gene consists of 5 exons, with sizes ranging from 74 to 1,076 bp.

Chromosome Mapping↗

Metabotropic glutamate receptor 3 (GRM3) gene variation is not associated with schizophrenia or bipolar affective disorder in the German population.

In the present study, we sought to identify genetic variation in the metabotropic glutamate receptor 3 (GRM3) gene, which has been mapped to chromosome 7q21.1-q21.2 [Scherer et al., 1996] and might contribute to genetic predisposition to schizophrenia and/or bipolar affective disorder. Using single-strand conformation analysis (SSCA), we screened the complete coding sequence as well as adjacent splice sites of the GRM3 gene in a sample of 46 bipolar affective and 46 schizophrenic patients. We detected three sequence variants: a rare C/T substitution at nucleotide position +885 (T209T), a C/T substitution at nucleotide position +2130 (Y624Y), and a more common C/T substitution at nucleotide position +1131 (A291A). The occurrence of the +1131C/T variant was investigated in a sample of bipolar affective patients (n=283), schizophrenic patients (n=265), and ethnically matched controls (n=227). We observed a significant overrepresentation of the +1131T allele in schizophrenic patients when compared to controls (P=0.0022). This finding was followed up in an independent sample of schizophrenic patients (n=288) and controls (n=162) and 128 schizophrenic trios but could not be confirmed. It is therefore unlikely that this variant plays a major role in predisposing to schizophrenia and/or bipolar affective disorder at least in the German population.

Bipolar Disorder↗