Association analyses between aminotransferase AGXT2 and mental disorders.

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25293251
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Psychiatric science
• Research Institution: Ehime University
• Principal Investigator: Ueno Shu-ichi 愛媛大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (80232768)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): Abe Masao 愛媛大学, 医学部附属病院, 助教 (80444735) ; Ochi Shinichiro 愛媛大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 助教 (40568911)
• Research Collaborator: YOSHINO Yuta 愛媛大学, 医学部附属病院, 医員 (10646243)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 精神神経疾患 / アミノ基転移酵素 / 機能性多型 / 関連解析 / 統合失調症 / 頸動脈内中膜厚 / 高血圧 / 脳血管障害

Outline of Final Research Achievements

AGXT2(alanine: glyoxylate aminotransferase 2) is an aminotransferase that degrades not only a D-3-aminoisobutyrate, a middle product of thymine degradation, but also an asymmetric dimethylarginine that inhibits nitric oxide production. One third of Japanese lack AGXT2 activity and the activity is distributed in brain as well as liver and kidney. In this study, we indicated 1) distribution of Agxt2 gene products in the rat brain, 2)genetic mechanism that four functional SNPs in the AGXT2 gene are related to its activity, 3)no association between the AGXT2 gene and schizophrenia, and 4)positive association between the AGXT2 gene and carotid Intima-Media Thickness, which is related to hypertension, in Japanese subjects. We suggest that the functional SNPs of the AGXT2 gene are not related to functional psychoses but related to vascular brain diseases, such as vascular dementia.

Free Research Field

精神医学