Effect of a functional single nucleotide polymorphism in the 2′,3′-cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase gene on the expression of oligodendrocyte-related genes in schizophrenia

Aims: Although the expression of oligodendrocyte-related genes in post-mortem brains of patients with schizophrenia is consistently reported to be downregulated, the cause of the change remains unclear. The A-allele of rs2070106 within the 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase (CNP), an oligodendrocyte-related gene, was reported to show reduced expression compared with the G-allele, and proposed to be associated with schizophrenia. Methods: The effect of the rs2070106 genotype on the expression of CNP and other oligodendrocyte-related genes was examined using data previously obtained from DNA microarray studies of post-mortem brains. Results: It was found that the effect of rs2070106 genotype on the CNP expression was transcript specific, and that the genotype was not associated with the expression of other oligodendrocyte-related genes. Conclusions: The rs207016 genotype is not likely to contribute to the reported coordinated down-regulation of oligodendrococyte-related genes in schizophrenia.