Analysis of the association between MICA gene polymorphisms and schizophrenia

BACKGROUND: The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) has been implicated in schizophrenia. This study aimed to explore the correlation between the major histocompatibility complex class I polypeptide‐related sequence A (MICA) polymorphisms and schizophrenia. METHODS: A total of 220 Han schizophrenia patients, 47 Han healthy controls, 155 Li schizophrenia patients, and 48 Li controls were selected from Hainan Province, China. The diagnosis was made according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, criteria. Sequencing‐based‐typing (PCR‐SBT) technology was used for MICA allele typing, and the correlation analyses of MICA gene polymorphism and schizophrenia were performed. RESULTS: In the Han group, the three allele frequencies of MICA*002:01, MICA*A4, and MICA*A9 in the schizophrenia group were significantly higher than those in the healthy control group, and the differences were statistically significant (pc < 0.05; pc values were 0.024, 0.030, and 0.031, respectively). Yet, there was no difference in the MICA gene between the schizophrenia group and the healthy controls group in the Li population. CONCLUSION: We found MICA*002:01, MICA*A4, and MICA*A9 may be susceptibility alleles for schizophrenia in the Han population, while the MICA allele polymorphism in the Li population is not associated with schizophrenia in Chinese.