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Genome-wide linkage survey for genetic loci that influence the development of depressive disorders in families with recurrent, early-onset, major depression

  1. George S. Zubenko1,2,*,
  2. Brion Maher3,
  3. Hugh B. Hughes III1,
  4. Wendy N. Zubenko1,
  5. J. Scott Stiffler1,
  6. Barry B. Kaplan4,
  7. Mary L. Marazita1,3,5

Article first published online: 2 JUL 2003

DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.20073

Issue

American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics

American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics

Volume 123B, Issue 1, pages 1–18, 15 November 2003

Additional Information

How to Cite

Zubenko, G. S., Maher, B., Hughes, H. B., Zubenko, W. N., Stiffler, J. S., Kaplan, B. B. and Marazita, M. L. (2003), Genome-wide linkage survey for genetic loci that influence the development of depressive disorders in families with recurrent, early-onset, major depression. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics, 123B: 1–18. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.b.20073

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  2. 2

    Department of Biological Sciences, Mellon College of Science, Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  3. 3

    Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, School of Dental Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  4. 4

    Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland

  5. 5

    Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

*Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Room E-1230, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 21 OCT 2003
  2. Article first published online: 2 JUL 2003
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 4 JUN 2003
  4. Manuscript Received: 28 APR 2003

Funded by

  • Research project grants. Grant Numbers: MH48969, MH60866
  • Center for Inherited Disease Research (CIDR)
  • National Institutes of Health (to the Johns Hopkins University). Grant Number: N01-HG-65403
  • S.A.G.E. (supported by U.S. Public Health Service Resource Grant). Grant Number: 1-P41-RR03655

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Keywords:

  • genetic linkage;
  • CREB1;
  • depression;
  • depression spectrum;
  • sex-specificity;
  • genome-wide scan

Abstract

In this report, we describe the results of the first genome-wide linkage survey for genetic loci that influence the development of unipolar Mood Disorders in 81 families identified by individuals with Recurrent, Early-Onset, Major Depressive Disorder (RE-MDD). Model-free linkage analysis was performed using genotypes for 392 highly informative polymorphisms with an average spacing of 9 cM. The highest maximum LOD score observed, 8.19 (genome-wide adjusted P ≪ 0.0001), occurred for Recurrent Major Depressive Disorder (R-MDD) at D2S2321 (205 cM), located 121 kb proximal to CREB1. Nineteen chromosomal regions contained linkage peaks that reached genome-wide statistical significance (genome-wide adjusted P < 0.05) and ten of these were “highly significant” (adjusted P < 0.001). Six of the 19 linkage peaks were revealed only when the analysis included covariates to control for the effects of sex and linkage to CREB1. Sex-specific susceptibility loci were common and preferentially affected the vulnerability of women to developing unipolar Mood Disorders. Five loci revealed evidence of interaction with the CREB1 locus in determining susceptibility (epistasis). A systematic candidate gene analysis is presented and potential overlaps of the linkage regions for unipolar Mood Disorders with those reported for other psychiatric disorders are discussed. The findings suggest that genes whose products participate in cellular signaling pathways that converge on CREB, as well as the target genes whose expression they regulate, may also harbor alleles that affect the development of Mood Disorders and related conditions. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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