| 1 | Neuroscience 2015 Dec 310: 723-30 |
|---|---|
| PMID | 26475744 |
| Title | The CCDC55 couples cannabinoid receptor CNR1 to a putative DISC1 schizophrenia pathway. |
| Abstract | Our previous study suggested that the coiled coil domain-containing 55 gene (CCDC55), also named as NSRP1 (nuclear speckle splicing regulatory protein 1 (NSRP1)), was encompassed in a haplotype block spanning over the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene in patients with schizophrenia (SCZ). However, the neurobiological function of CCDC55 gene remains unknown. This study aims to uncover the potential role of CCDC55 in SCZ-associated molecular pathways. Using molecular cloning, sequencing and immune blotting to identify basic properties, yeast two-hybrid screening and glutathione S-transferase (GST) pull-down assay to test protein-protein interaction, and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CSLM) to show intracellular interaction of proteins. (i) CCDC55 is expressed as a nuclear protein in human neuronal cells; (ii) Protein-protein interaction analyses showed CCDC55 physically interacted with Ran binding protein 9 (RANBP9) and disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1); (iii) CCDC55 and RANBP9 co-localized in the nucleus of human neuronal cells; (iv) CCDC55 also interacted with the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CNR1), and with the brain cannabinoid receptor-interacting protein 1a (CNRIP1a); (v) CNR1 activation in differentiated human neuronal cells resulted in an altered RANBP9 localization. CCDC55 may be involved in a functional bridging between the CNR1 activation and the DISC1/RANBP9-associated pathways. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia |
| 2 | Mol Med Rep 2015 Apr 11: 2975-80 |
| PMID | 25482375 |
| Title | Investigating the potential genetic association between RANBP9 polymorphisms and the risk of schizophrenia. |
| Abstract | schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder that is affected by genetic and environmental factors. As the disease has a high heritability rate, genetic studies identifying candidate genes for schizophrenia have been conducted in various populations. The gene for human Ran?binding protein 9 (RANBP9) is a newly discovered candidate gene for schizophrenia. As RANBP9 is a small guanosine?5'?triphosphate?binding protein that interacts with the disrupted in schizophrenia 1 protein, it is considered to be an important molecule in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. However, to date, no study has examined the possible association between the genetic variations of RANBP9 and the risk of schizophrenia. In the present study, it was hypothesized that RANBP9 variations may influence the risk of schizophrenia. In order to investigate the association between RANBP9 polymorphisms and the risk of schizophrenia and smooth pursuit eye movement (SPEM) abnormalities, a case?control association analysis was performed. Using a TaqMan assay, five single?nucleotide polymorphisms and an insertion/deletion variation within the start codon region of RANBP9 were genotyped. Five major haplotypes were identified in 449 patients with schizophrenia and 393 unrelated healthy individuals as controls (total, n=842). However, the association analyses revealed no associations between all genetic variants and schizophrenia and SPEM abnormality. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate an association between RANBP9 polymorphisms and schizophrenia and SPEM abnormality. The findings of allele frequencies and association results in this study may aid in further genetic etiological studies in schizophrenia in various populations. |
| SCZ Keywords | schizophrenia |