The rs7208505 Polymorphism and Differential Expression of the SKA2 Gene in the Prefrontal Cortex of Suicide Victims from the Mexican Population

Abstract

Objective

The main aim of the current study was to investigate whether SKA2 gene expression in the postmortem brain of rs7208505 genotype are altered in suicide victims from a Mexican population.

Methods

In this study, we report a genetic analysis of expression levels of the SKA2 gene in the prefrontal cortex of the postmortem brain of suicidal subjects (n = 22) compared to subjects who died of causes other than suicide (n = 22) in a Mexican population using RT-qPCR assays. Additionally, we genotyped the rs7208505 polymorphism in suicide victims (n = 98) and controls (n = 88) and we evaluate the association of genotypes for the SNP rs7208505 with expression level of SKA2.

Results

The results showed that the expression of the SKA2 gene was significantly higher in suicide victims compared to control subjects (p = 0.044). Interestingly, we observed a greater proportion of allele A of the rs7208505 in suicide victims than controls. Even though there was no association between the SNP with suicide in the study population we found a significative association of the expression level from SKA2 with the allele A of the rs7208505 and suicide.

Conclusion

The evidence suggests that the expression of SKA2 in the prefrontal cortex may be a critical factor in the etiology of suicidal behavior.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Suicide victims have a higher level of SKA2 gene expression in the brain’s prefrontal cortex than control subjects.

• The SKA2 rs7208505 is not associated with suicide in the Mexican population studied.

• Allele frequencies for G are higher than allele frequencies for A in our study population.

• The allele A of the rs7208505 affects the expression values of the SKA2 gene.

Keywords:

• Gene expression
• Mexican population
• SKA2
• suicide
• rs7208505

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors acknowledge gratefully to SEP-PRODEP [Approval letter 511-6/2019-15946] for the financial support of this research. L.I.V.G. also thanks SEP-PRODEP for the scholarship received.

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

Data are available upon reasonable request to the corresponding author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Luz I. Valenzuela-García

Luz Idalia Valenzuela-García and Víctor Manuel Ayala-García, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, Durango, México

Victor M. Ayala-García

Luz Idalia Valenzuela-García and Víctor Manuel Ayala-García, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, Durango, México

Daniel F. Ramos-Rosales

Daniel Ramos-Rosales, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, Durango, México; Cruz Roja Mexicana, Delegación Durango, Durango, México.

Rayo Emeryt Jacquez-Flores

Rayo Emeryt Jacquez-Flores, Norma Urtiz-Estrada, and Marcelo Barraza-Salas, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, Durango, México.

Norma Urtiz-Estrada

Rayo Emeryt Jacquez-Flores, Norma Urtiz-Estrada, and Marcelo Barraza-Salas, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, Durango, México.

Marcelo Barraza-Salas

Rayo Emeryt Jacquez-Flores, Norma Urtiz-Estrada, and Marcelo Barraza-Salas, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, Durango, México.