Method of detecting schizophrenia risk

• US 20030215868A1
• Filed: 05/15/2003
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gabriela Novak, Philip Seeman, Teresa Tallerico
• Original Assignee: Gabriela Novak, Philip Seeman, Teresa Tallerico
• Inventors: Tallerico, Teresa, Novak, Gabriela, Seeman, Philip
• Application Number:
  US10/437,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20030215868A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/6
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6883 for diseases caused by alterations of genetic material
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2600/156 Polymorphic or mutational markers

Abstract

Methods and kits for determining susceptibility of a patient to neuropsychiatric disorders are described. The method involves analyzing a sample comprising nucleic acids from a patient for a polymorphism of the Nogo gene.

Claims

1. A method of determining the susceptibility of a patient to a neuropsychiatric disorder comprising:

(a) obtaining a sample from a patient; and

(b) testing the sample for the presence of a polymorphism in the Nogo gene, wherein the presence of a polymorphism indicates that the patient is susceptible to a neuropsychiatric disorder.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the polymorphism is a CAA insert at nucleotides 4386-4388 of the Nogo sequence as shown in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO:

1).

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the patient is homozygous for the CAA insert.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the neuropsychiatric disorder is schizophrenia.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the patient also has a deletion of nucleotides TATC at nucleotide 3905 of the Nogo sequence shown in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO:

1).

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sample is blood.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein step (b) comprises (i) extracting nucleic acids comprising the Nogo gene, or a portion thereof, from the sample;

(ii) amplifying the extracted nucleic acids comprising the Nogo gene, or a portion thereof using polymerase chain reaction (PCR);

(iii) performing electrophoresis of the PCR products; and

(iv) determining the presence of a polymorphism in Nogo gene.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein step (b) comprises:

(i) extracting nucleic acids comprising the Nogo gene, or portion thereof, from the sample;

(ii) sequencing the nucleic acids comprising the Nogo gene, or portion thereof; and

(iii) determining the presence of a polymorphism in the Nogo gene.

13. A kit for determining the susceptibility of a patient to a neuropsychiatric disorder comprising (i) reagents for conducting a method according to claim 1 and (ii) instructions for its use.

14. A kit according to claim 13, wherein said reagents comprise nucleic acid primers for amplifying nucleic acids comprising the Nogo gene, or a portion thereof, in a polymerase chain reaction.

15. A kit according to claim 14, wherein the reagents comprise nucleic acid primers for amplifying nucleic acids comprising the Nogo gene, or a portion thereof, in a polymerase chain reaction, DNA polymerase, dATP, dTTP, dCTP, dGTP and buffers.

9. A method of diagnosing a neuropsychiatric disorder in a patient by analyzing for a presence of a polymorphism in the Nogo gene in a biological sample obtained from the patient, wherein the presence of a polymorphism in the Nogo gene, indicates a likelihood that the patient is suffering from a neuropsychiatric disorder.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the polymorphism is a CAA insert at nucleotides 4386-4388 of the Nogo sequence as shown in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO:

1).

16. A kit for diagnosing a neuropsychiatric disorder in a patient comprising (i) reagents for conducting a method according to claim 9 and (ii) instructions for its use.

18. A kit according to claim 16, wherein said reagents comprise nucleic acid primers for amplifying nucleic acids comprising the Nogo gene, or portion thereof, in a polymerase chain reaction.

11. A method of determining if a patient will have increased symptomatology associated with a neuropsychiatric disorder by analyzing for a presence of a polymorphism in the Nogo gene in a biological sample obtained from the patient, wherein the presence of a polymorphism in the Nogo gene, indicates a likelihood that the patient will have increased symptomatology associated with a neuropsychiatric disorder.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the polymorphism is a CAA insert at nucleotides 4386-4388 of the Nogo sequence as shown in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO:

1).

17. A kit for determining if a patient will have increased symptomatology associated with a neuropsychiatric disorder comprising (i) reagents for conducting a method according to claim 11 and (ii) instructions for its use.

19. A kit according to claim 17, wherein said reagents comprise nucleic acid primers for amplifying nucleic acids comprising the Nogo gene, or portion thereof, in a polymerase chain reaction.