Immune system genes linked to schizophrenia

A recently published article by two international consortia of scientists has reinforced previous findings, which suggested that a group of genes important in the immune system are also implicated in the development of schizophrenia.
It has long been known that there is a genetic component to schizophrenia, as it is highly heritable (though the environment can play a part). However, we are unlikely to find a ‘gene for schizophrenia’ because it is probably caused by small deviations in hundreds of genes rather than a large change in one gene. Nevertheless, scientists are beginning to uncover some variants of genes that may increase the risk of developing schizophrenia. In a study earlier this year, researchers used a genome-wide association study (comparing whole genomes between people) on thousands of people to identify genes that were different in people with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls.
Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder characterised by delusions, hallucinations and disorganised thoughts (not multiple personalities as many people believe). HLA-C*01:02 may not mean much to you, but it is one of the variants of the HLA gene that researchers linked with an increased risk of schizophrenia. This gene is one of the genes on chromosome 6 that codes for the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). This is a protein that regulates white blood cells (the soldiers of our immune system). Previous research has also implicated this section of DNA in schizophrenia, so it is likely that the MHC region will prove crucial to understanding the genetics of schizophrenia.
This research contributes to mounting evidence for an immunological component to schizophrenia. However, there is still a long way to go in understanding how these alterations in the immune system may cause schizophrenia, and identifying other genes that may contribute to this.

Link to article http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006322312005549