A functional variant provided further evidence for the association of ARVCF with schizophrenia.

In a previous linkage disequilibrium mapping study, in the 3' end of ARVCF, we identified one intronic SNP rs165849 and one haplotype block associated with schizophrenia and related disorders. The aim of the present study was to explore whether functional genetic variants in the exonic regions of ARVCF included in this haplotype block are responsible for the association observed. To achieve this objective (1) the nine exons included in this haplotype block were resequenced in a group of 242 patients with schizophrenia and related disorders (Case 1). The SNPs identified were genotyped in a hospital-based control group of 373 subjects (Control 1) and an association study was performed. (2) The SNPs showing significant association in this analysis were genotyped in a new group of 102 patients with schizophrenia and related disorders (Case 2) and in a new group of 111 healthy subjects (Control 2). Three dbSNPs (rs35219372, rs5993890, and rs165815) were identified when the nine exons of ARVCF were resequenced. rs165815 was associated with schizophrenia and related disorders (homozygote CC OR = 3.39, permutated P value = 0.02). When the groups of cases (1 and 2) and controls (1 and 2) were merged, the analysis confirmed the association observed (homozygote CC OR = 3.25 permutated P value = 0.02). Given the role of ARVCF proposed in the neurodevelopmental hypothesis, our results further support the view that chromosome 22 contains a susceptibility gene, possibly ARVCF. The functional variant rs165815, which affects a critical region of ARVCF, is a considerable source of the genetic variability associated with the risk of developing schizophrenia.