Sequence analysis of ADARB1 gene in patients with familial bipolar disorder

Amore, Mario; Strippoli, Pierluigi; Laterza, Caterina; Tagariello, Pietro; Vitale, Lorenza; Casadei, Raffaella; Frabetti, Flavia; Canaider, Silvia; Lenzi, Luca; D'Addabbo, Pietro; Carinci, Paolo; Torroni, Arianna; Ferrari, Giuseppe; Zannotti, Maria

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2003.08.006

« Previous Next »Journal of Affective Disorders
Volume 81, Issue 1 , Pages 79-85, July 2004

Sequence analysis of ADARB1 gene in patients with familial bipolar disorder

Mario Amore
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +39-521-234605; fax: +39-521-230611.
- Institute of Psychiatry, University of Parma, p.zza Matteotti, 9, 43100 Parma, Italy
Pierluigi Strippoli
- Research Center in Molecular Genetics “Fondazione CARISBO”, Institute of Histology and General Embriology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Caterina Laterza
- Institute of Psychiatry, University of Parma, p.zza Matteotti, 9, 43100 Parma, Italy
Pietro Tagariello
- Institute of Psychiatry, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Lorenza Vitale
- Research Center in Molecular Genetics “Fondazione CARISBO”, Institute of Histology and General Embriology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Raffaella Casadei
- Research Center in Molecular Genetics “Fondazione CARISBO”, Institute of Histology and General Embriology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Flavia Frabetti
- Research Center in Molecular Genetics “Fondazione CARISBO”, Institute of Histology and General Embriology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Silvia Canaider
- Research Center in Molecular Genetics “Fondazione CARISBO”, Institute of Histology and General Embriology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Luca Lenzi
- Research Center in Molecular Genetics “Fondazione CARISBO”, Institute of Histology and General Embriology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Pietro D'Addabbo
- Research Center in Molecular Genetics “Fondazione CARISBO”, Institute of Histology and General Embriology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Paolo Carinci
- Research Center in Molecular Genetics “Fondazione CARISBO”, Institute of Histology and General Embriology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Arianna Torroni
- Institute of Psychiatry, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Giuseppe Ferrari
- Institute of Psychiatry, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Maria Zannotti
- Research Center in Molecular Genetics “Fondazione CARISBO”, Institute of Histology and General Embriology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

Received 19 May 2003; received in revised form 6 August 2003; accepted 8 August 2003.

Abstract

Background: The ADARB1 gene is located in 21q22.3 region, previously linked to familial bipolar disorder, and its product has a documented action in the editing of the pre-mRNA of glutamate receptor B subunit. Dysfunction of glutamatergic neurotransmission could play an important role in the patophysiology of bipolar disorder (BD). Glutamate excitatory neurotransmission regulation is a possible mechanism of the initial effect of anticonvulsants in regulating mood. Methods: To investigate the hypothesis of an involvement of ADARB1 gene in the BD, the ADARB1 cDNA has been cloned and sequenced in seven selected bipolar I disorder patients with evidence of familiarity of mood disorders. A detailed investigation of the gene nucleotide sequence in the open reading frame has been performed. Results: No alteration in the sequence of the ADARB1 gene cDNA was found in any patient, except a common neutral polymorphism in three out of seven patients. Conclusions: Mutations in ADARB1 gene are not commonly associated with bipolar I disorder, therefore other genes in the 21q22 region could be associated with bipolar illness in some families, likely in the context of a multifactorial transmission model.

Keywords: ADARB1 gene, Bipolar disorder, Sequencing, Polymorphism, Glutamate, Anticonvulsants