Located in the 3' UTR of the SKA2 gene, rs7208505 is reported in a small study to be partially associated with tendencies towards suicide. In most ethnic groups, the more common allele - in dbSNP orientation - is rs7208505(A), and the less common is rs7208505(G). This latter, less common allele leads to the existence (on both strands) of a CpG dinucleotide capable of being methylated (and thereby lowering SKA2 and microRNA-301a expression).
In what is termed an additive genetic and epigenetic association, postmortem analysis of a relatively small number of brains indicates that while carrying the rs7208505(G) allele is not on it's own linked to higher suicide risk, harboring the methylated dinucleotide containing this allele may be, especially in the presence of higher waking levels of a marker for increased risk, cortisol.[PMID 25073599
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The authors also distinguish between at least three categories of suicide risk: suicide ideation (thinking about it), suicide attempts, and last, death from suicide. The study sample number was too low to sort out all the variables in relation to these categories.
[PMID 26324104] SKA2 methylation is associated with decreased prefrontal cortical thickness and greater PTSD severity among trauma-exposed veterans
[PMID 31035118] SKA2 gene - A novel biomarker for latent anxiety and preterm birth prediction.
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