Mutational analysis of the synapsin III gene on chromosome 22q12-q13 in schizophrenia

Synapsins are a family of neuron-specific, synaptic vesicle-associated phos phoproteins that have been implicated in the modulation of neurotransmitter release. Synapsins are coded by three distinct genes for synapsin I, II, a nd III. The synapsin III gene is located on human chromosome 22q12-q13, whe re a possible schizophrenia susceptibility locus is located. Using the sing le strand conformation polymorphism method, we searched for variants in 13 exons and the 5'-flanking region of the synapsin III gene in schizophrenia. Three polymorphisms, - 631C/G, -271T/C, and E525Q, and one rare variant, - 669C > A, were identified. Case-control comparisons of these polymorphisms revealed no significant differences in the allelic and genotypic distribut ions between schizophrenic and control subjects. The present study did nut provide evidence for an association between the synapsin III gene and schiz ophrenia. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.