Abstract:

Abstract:Objective To observe the distribution of COMT gene polymorphism Val158Met  in Chinese patients with schizophrenia and investigate the possible association between COMT gene polymorphism and  schizophrenia and  tardive dyskinesia (TD).
Methods The whole blood samples from 356 schizophrenic patients with TD (TD group),419 schizophrenic patients without TD (non-TD group)and 471 cases of normal healthy subjects(control group) were collected,the DNA was extracted,the distribution of genotype and allele of COMT gene polymorphism Val158Met was  detected by Taqman assays. Results Compared between schizophrenic patients group and normal control group,the allelic frequency and genotypic frequency of rs4680 hadn’t significant differences（χ²=3.08,df=3,P=0.21;χ²=2.067,df=2,P=0.15）. Compared between TD group and normal control group,the allelic frequency and genotypic frequency of rs4680 hadn’t significant differences (χ²=1.857,df=3,P=
0.40;χ2 =1.281,df=2,P=0.26). Compared between non-TD group and normal control group,the allelic frequency and genotypic frequency of rs4680 hadn’t significant differences (χ²=2.505,df=3,P=0.29;χ²=1.709,df=2,P=0.19). Compared with TD group and non-TD group,the frequencies of allele and genotype of rs4680 hadn’t significant differences (χ²=0.021,df=3,P=0.99;χ²=0.013,df=2,P=0.91).Conclusion The Val158Met polymorphism of COMT gene isn’t associated with schizophrenia and TD.

Key words: catechol-O-methyltransferase gene;gene polymorphism;schizophrenia;tardive dyskinesia