Microsatellite Markers of Schizophrenia

• US 20110117215A1
• Filed: 01/21/2011
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: University of Louisville
• Original Assignee: University of Louisville
• Inventors: Neibergs, Holly, Condra, Jodi Ann, Massey, Amy Tabb, Brennan, Mark David
• Application Number:
  US13/011,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20110117215A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/722
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/18 Antipsychotics, i.e. neuroleptics; Drugs for mania or schizophrenia
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6883 for diseases caused by alterations of genetic material
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2600/156 Polymorphic or mutational markers
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2600/172 Haplotypes

Abstract

The invention includes method of determining if a subject is at risk for developing schizophrenia (SZ), schizotypal personality disorder (SPD), or schizoaffective disorder (SD).

Claims

1. A method of determining a human subject'"'"'s risk of developing schizophrenia (SZ), the method comprising:

obtaining a sample comprising DNA from the subject; and

determining the size of both alleles of microsatellite marker D22s256 in a sample from the subject,

wherein the presence of apparently homozygous alleles indicates that the subject has an increased risk of developing the disorder.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the size of microsatellite marker D22s256 is determined using PCR.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the PCR is performed with a first primer comprising SEQ ID NO:

3, and a second primer comprising SEQ ID NO;

4.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sample is obtained from the subject by a health care provider.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sample is provided by the subject without the assistance of a health care provider.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the presence or absence of one or more additional markers associated with schizophrenia.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the subject is a patient having, or at risk of, schizophrenia.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the subject is suffering from early, intermediate or aggressive schizophrenia.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the subject has one or more risk factors associated with SZ.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the risk factors associated with SZ include one or more of:

a relative afflicted with schizophrenia, a genetically based phenotypic trait associated with risk for SZ;

deficits in working memory; and

mixed-handedness, particularly in females.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the subject has one or more of a grandparent, parent, uncle or aunt, sibling, or child who has or had SZ.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the genetically based phenotypic is eye tracking dysfunction.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the subject is a child, fetus, or embryo, and one of the relatives of the subject has SZ.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising administering a treatment to a subject identified as being at increased risk for developing SZ.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the treatment is a pharmacological or psychosocial treatment for SZ.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the information to select a subject population for a clinical trial.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the information to stratify a subject population in a clinical trial.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the information to stratify subjects that respond to a treatment from those who do not respond to a treatment, or subjects that have negative side effects from those who do not have negative side effects.

19. A method of selecting a human subject for inclusion or exclusion in a clinical trial, the method comprising:

obtaining a sample comprising DNA from the subject; and

determining the size of both alleles of microsatellite marker D22s256 in a sample from the subject, wherein the presence of homozygous alleles indicates that the subject has an increased risk of developing the disorder; and

including or excluding the subject based on presence of homozygous alleles.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the clinical trial is of a treatment for SZ.