[Schizophrenia-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms affecting microRNA function].

: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) compose a class of non-coding transcripts with a mean length of 22 nucleotides, and play critical roles in regulating gene expression in the process of development, proliferation and differentiation of neurons. Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) find most of schizophrenia-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) locating in the non-coding regions, providing functional implications of miRNAs in the development of schizophrenia. In this review, we highlight the interplays between GWAS-SNPs and miRNAs in four perspectives: SNP in miRNA gene; miRNA located in the host gene; SNP located in the miRNA's seed sequence; SNP located in the miRNA's binding site. We also speculate on the future research on the role of miRNA in the development of schizophrenia.