Association between PLA2G12A polymorphism and patients with schizophrenia in a southern Chinese Han population.

BACKGROUND: Elevated phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity is reported to be involved in the development of schizophrenia. Further study revealed an association between PLA2 groups XIIA (PLA2G12A) polymorphism and patients with schizophrenia in a northeast Chinese Han population.

OBJECTIVE: This study will further examine whether PLA2G12A rs3087494 polymorphism is associated with patients with schizophrenia in a southern Chinese Han population.

METHODS: This polymorphism was genotyped in 438 patients with schizophrenia (diagnosed according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV) and 876 healthy controls using a case-control design. Demographic and clinical data were collected in all subjects.

RESULTS: The allele and genotype frequencies of PLA2G12A rs3087494 polymorphism significantly differed between groups (both, p < .001). These differences still were significant by adjusting for sex and age. However, there was no difference in age at onset among 3 genotype groups in patients with schizophrenia by adjusting for the variables (F = 0.22, p = .80). Stepwise multivariate regression analysis showed that this polymorphism was not associated with age at onset in patients with schizophrenia (β = .008, t = .07, p = .94).

CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that even though PLA2G12A rs3087494 polymorphism did not influence age at onset in patients with schizophrenia, it may play an important role in the susceptibility to schizophrenia in a southern Chinese Han population.