Association Between Upstream Purine Complexes of Human Caveolin-1 Gene and Schizophrenia in Qazvin Province of Iran

BACKGROUND: Caveolin is a multifunctional and scaffolding membrane protein, which involves cholesterol trafficking to plasma lipid microdomain. It organizes and targets synaptic parts of the neurotransmitter and neurotrophic receptor signaling pathways. Caveolins are encoded by CAV-1, 2 and 3 genes. Disruption of the CAV1 would likely ruin the neuronal signaling, which leads to symptoms of schizophrenia in predisposed individuals. OBJECTIVES: The upper area of CAV-1 gene is highly conserved and can have a regulatory role in neurodegenerative diseases. This study was designed to find out the possible association of polymorphisms of this area and schizophrenia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a case-control study, 254 blood samples were obtained from 127 patients with schizophrenia and 127 well matched controls referred to 22 Bahman Hospital of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences (QUMS) in Qazvin province, Iran, using simple random sampling method. After extracting DNA, the upper region of the human CAV1- gene was amplified by PCR in all collected samples. The products were visualized by silver staining in 10% polyacrylamide gel and then sequenced. RESULTS: We detected nine homozygotes in patients and 15 in control subjects. Homozygosity was 7.08% and 11.8% in cases and control, respectively. Nine types homozygote haplotype were detected in upper region of the CAV1 gene in cases and controls. Three haplotypes were common in cases and controls; four haplotypes were seen in controls only and two in cases. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings implied a significant correlation between some haplotypes of upper region of CAV1 gene and schizophrenia. Existence of some haplotypes and lack of another in CAV1 upstream can suggest a significant correlation between schizophrenia and some haplotypes.