Association of СОМТ, DRD2/ANKK1, MTHFR, MIR 137, DNMT3B polymorphisms with the clinical features of schizophrenia patients in acute stage and remission

Updated view of genetic features of schizophrenia based on rare SNPs/CNVs with a huge influence on a disease and common SNPs with a small effect of each allele is presented. Altogether these genetic factors are acting to create neuropathophysiological disturbances observed in schizophrenia. Association of five polymorphisms MIR137 rs1625579, DRD2/ANKK1 rs1800497, MTHFR rs1801133, DNMT3B rs2424913, СОМТ rs4680 with the risk of schizophrenia in the Belarusian population, the level of symptoms of schizophrenia patients assessed by PANSS in the acute stage and remission, cognitive impairments, and treatment trajectory of schizophrenia patients during antipsychotic treatment were analyzed. The A/A-genotype of СОМТ rs4680 (р = 0.008) and the С/С-genotype of MTHFR rs1801133 (р = 0.02) are associated with the risk of schizophrenia among Belarusians. The T-allele of MTHFR rs1801133 is a risk factor of positive symptoms (р = 0.02). Combining the C/C-genotype (DNMT3B rs2424913) and the G-allele (COMT rs4680) is associated with a significant difference in negative symptoms level between men and women. The polymorphism of СОМТ rs4680 (р < 0.05) and the combination of СОМТ rs4680 + DRD2/ANKK1 rs1800497 (р = 0.005) as well as MTHFR rs1801133 + DNMT3B rs2424913 (р = 0.006) are related to the cognitive parameters measured by the WCST and Stroop test respectively. Schizophrenia patients who are the G-allele carriers of MIR137 rs1625579 demonstrated a more favorable negative symptom trajectory in comparison to Т/Тhomozygotes (F = 2.2, p = 0.03). The trajectory of negative symptoms (F = 2.2, p = 0.03) and general psychopathological symptoms (F = 4.3, p = 0.0001) is different between men and women under antipsychotic treatment. These differences are associated with a minor amount of alleles of MIR137 rs1625579, DRD2/ANKK1 rs1800497, MTHFR rs1801133 polymorphic sites.