FoxP2 is significantly associated with schizophrenia and major depression in the Chinese Han Population

Abstract

Objectives. The FoxP2 gene, located on 7q31, encodes a transcription factor. It was first discovered through investigations of a large multigenerational family (the KE family) with a rare severe speech and language disorder (Fisher et al., Nat. Genet. 1998;18:168; Lai et al., Nature 2001;413:519). Subsequent studies gave powerful and convincing functional evidence to the connection between FoxP2 and language disorder (; Groszer et al., Curr Biol 2008;18:354; Vernes et al., New Engl J Med 359(22):2337). Language disorder is commonly considered as a core symptom of schizophrenia and some other mental diseases; thus, we decided to investigate whether the FoxP2 gene played a significant role in schizophrenia, major depression or bipolar disorder in a sample set recruited from the Chinese Han population. Methods. In this study, we focused on 12 SNPs in the FoxP2 gene and carried out case–control studies in 1135 schizophrenia patients, 1135 unrelated major depression patients, 1135 unrelated bipolar disorder patients and 1135 unrelated normal controls recruited from the Chinese Han population. Results. We found rs10447760 was significantly associated with schizophrenia (allelic P = 0.00069) and major depression (allelic P = 0.0011). Conclusions. Our study indicated that the rare variant rs10447760 in FoxP2 may play an important role in schizophrenia and major depression in the Chinese Han population.

Key words::

• FoxP2
• schizophrenia
• bipolar disorder
• major depression
• Chinese Han population

Acknowledgements

We warmly thank all patients and healthy individuals who participated in our study. This work was supported by the 863 Program (2006AA02A407 and 2009AA022701), the 973 Program (2010CB529600), Natural Science Foundation of China (31000553), the Shanghai Changning Health Bureau program (2008406002) the Shanghai Municipal Health Bureau program (2008095), the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Science and Technology Program 09DJ1400601, and the Shanghai Leading Academic Discipline Project (B205).

Statement of Interest

None to declare.