• Renata Basso Cupertino, Djenifer B Kappel, Cibele Edom Bandeira, Jaqueline Bohrer Schuch, Bruna Santos da Silva, Diana Müller, Claiton Henrique Dotto Bau, and Nina Roth Mota.
• Department of Genetics, Instituto de Biociências-Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 91501-970, Brazil.
• J Neural Transm. 2016 Aug 1; 123 (8): 867-83.

AbstractMultiple biological processes throughout development require intracellular vesicular trafficking, where the SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor (NSF) attachment protein (SNAP) receptors) complex plays a major role. The core proteins forming the SNARE complex are SNAP-25 (synaptosomal-associated protein 25), VAMP (vesicle-associated membrane protein) and Syntaxins, besides its regulatory proteins, such as Synaptotagmin. Genes encoding these proteins (SNAP25, VAMP1, VAMP2, STX1A, SYT1 and SYT2) have been studied in relation to psychiatric disorders susceptibility. Here, we review physiological aspects of SNARE complex and genetic association results reported for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, both in children and adults, autism spectrum disorders, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Moreover, we included findings from expression, pharmacogenetics and animal model studies regarding these clinical phenotypes. The overall scenario depicted here suggests that the SNARE complex may exert distinct roles throughout development, with age-specific effects of genetic variants in psychiatric disorders. Such perspective should be considered in future studies regarding SNARE complex genes.

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