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Matta J, Dobrino D, Yeboah D, Howard S, EL-Manzalawy Y, Obafemi-Ajayi T. Connecting phenotype to genotype: PheWAS-inspired analysis of autism spectrum disorder. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:960991. [PMID: 36310845 PMCID: PMC9605200 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.960991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is extremely heterogeneous clinically and genetically. There is a pressing need for a better understanding of the heterogeneity of ASD based on scientifically rigorous approaches centered on systematic evaluation of the clinical and research utility of both phenotype and genotype markers. This paper presents a holistic PheWAS-inspired method to identify meaningful associations between ASD phenotypes and genotypes. We generate two types of phenotype-phenotype (p-p) graphs: a direct graph that utilizes only phenotype data, and an indirect graph that incorporates genotype as well as phenotype data. We introduce a novel methodology for fusing the direct and indirect p-p networks in which the genotype data is incorporated into the phenotype data in varying degrees. The hypothesis is that the heterogeneity of ASD can be distinguished by clustering the p-p graph. The obtained graphs are clustered using network-oriented clustering techniques, and results are evaluated. The most promising clusterings are subsequently analyzed for biological and domain-based relevance. Clusters obtained delineated different aspects of ASD, including differentiating ASD-specific symptoms, cognitive, adaptive, language and communication functions, and behavioral problems. Some of the important genes associated with the clusters have previous known associations to ASD. We found that clusters based on integrated genetic and phenotype data were more effective at identifying relevant genes than clusters constructed from phenotype information alone. These genes included five with suggestive evidence of ASD association and one known to be a strong candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Matta
- Department of Computer Science, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL, United States
| | - Daniel Dobrino
- Department of Computer Science, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL, United States
| | - Dacosta Yeboah
- Department of Computer Science, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO, United States
| | - Swade Howard
- Department of Computer Science, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL, United States
| | - Yasser EL-Manzalawy
- Department of Translational Data Science and Informatics, Geisinger, Danville, PA, United States
| | - Tayo Obafemi-Ajayi
- Engineering Program, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO, United States
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2
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Subbanna M, Shivakumar V, Bhalerao G, Varambally S, Venkatasubramanian G, Debnath M. Variants of Th17 pathway-related genes influence brain morphometric changes and the risk of schizophrenia through epistatic interactions. Psychiatr Genet 2022; 32:146-155. [PMID: 35353801 DOI: 10.1097/ypg.0000000000000315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE T helper 17 (Th17) pathway has been reported to be abnormal in schizophrenia; however, it is not known whether variation within genes of this pathway has any impact on schizophrenia. Herein, the impact of genetic variations and gene-gene interactions of Th17 pathway-related genes on the risk, psychopathology, and brain volume was examined in schizophrenia patients. METHODS Functional polymorphisms within interleukin 6 ( IL6 )(rs1800795 and rs1800797), IL10 (rs1800872 and rs1800896), IL17A (rs2275913 and rs8193036), IL22 (rs2227484 and rs2227485), IL23R (rs1884444), and IL27 (rs153109 and rs181206) genes were studied in 224 schizophrenia patients and 226 healthy controls. These variants were correlated with the brain morphometry, analyzed using MRI in a subset of patients ( n = 117) and controls ( n = 137). RESULTS Patients carrying CC genotype of rs2227484 of IL22 gene had significantly higher apathy total score [ F (1,183) = 5.60; P = 0.019; partial ɳ 2 = 0.030]. Significant epistatic interactions between IL6 (rs1800797) and IL17A (rs2275913) genes were observed in schizophrenia patients. GG genotype of rs2275913 of IL17A gene was associated with reduced right middle occipital gyrus volume in schizophrenia patients ( T = 4.56; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Interactions between genes of Th17 pathway impact the risk for schizophrenia. The variants of Th17 pathway-related genes seem to have a determining effect on psychopathology and brain morphometric changes in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manjula Subbanna
- Department of Human Genetics, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences
| | - Venkataram Shivakumar
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Neurobiology Research Centre, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, and Departments of
- Integrative Medicine
| | - Gaurav Bhalerao
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Neurobiology Research Centre, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, and Departments of
| | - Shivarama Varambally
- Integrative Medicine
- Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
| | - Ganesan Venkatasubramanian
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Neurobiology Research Centre, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, and Departments of
- Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
| | - Monojit Debnath
- Department of Human Genetics, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences
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Xie M, Li Z, Li X, Ai L, Jin M, Jia N, Yang Y, Li W, Xue F, Zhang M, Yu Q. Identifying crucial biomarkers in peripheral blood of schizophrenia and screening therapeutic agents by comprehensive bioinformatics analysis. J Psychiatr Res 2022; 152:86-96. [PMID: 35716513 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a sophisticated neurodevelopmental disorder, but the mechanisms remain ambiguous. Thus, we analyzed the transcriptomic datasets to investigate the molecular mechanisms of SCZ to pinpoint novel biomarkers and suggest treatment agents. Four peripheral blood datasets were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, altogether 27 robust Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) were ascertained by robust rank aggregation (RRA) methodology. Enrichment analysis, which performed by Enrichr platform, demonstrated that DEGs are predominantly engaged in immune and inflammatory. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed by STRING then visualized by Cytoscape. Hub genes identified by cytohubba plug-in were CXCL2, TLR9, SLPI, LY96, G0S2, EGR2, SELENBP1, NDUFA4, GNLY, CCL22. CIBERSORT algorithm was applied to evaluate the situation of immune infiltration, which revealed differences in T-cell CD8, T-cell CD4 memory resting and macrophage M0. The NetworkAnalyst platform was adopted to detect transcription factors (TFs), microRNAs (miRNAs), diseases and chemicals that interact with DEGs, while drugs interacted with DEGs were detected by Enrichr. TFs such as FOXC1, GATA2, NFIC, USF2, E2F1, miRNAs like mir-16-5p, mir-1-3p, mir-124-3p, mir-155-5p, mir-27a-3p are essential in the regulation of DEGs. mir-367-SMAD7-EGR1, mir-367-SMAD7-ARNT, mir-21-SMAD7-EGR1 may be promising biomarkers for SCZ. DEGs were intimately associated with Myocardial Ischemia, Inflammation, Reperfusion Injury. Chemicals such as VPA, cyclosporine, Aflatoxin B1, arsenic trioxide, drugs like diphenylpyraline, trimethoprim, 4-Aminobenzohydrazide, lanatoside C, may have significant implications for treatment of SCZ. These results would shed light on the molecular mechanisms of SCZ and suggest promising diagnostic biomarkers in peripheral blood and therapeutic tactics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengtong Xie
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Zhijun Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Xinwei Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Lizhe Ai
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Mengdi Jin
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Ningning Jia
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Yuqing Yang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Weizhen Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Fengyu Xue
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Min Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Qiong Yu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China.
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Li Z, Li X, Jin M, Liu Y, He Y, Jia N, Cui X, Liu Y, Hu G, Yu Q. Identification of potential biomarkers and their correlation with immune infiltration cells in schizophrenia using combinative bioinformatics strategy. Psychiatry Res 2022; 314:114658. [PMID: 35660966 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Many studies have identified changes in gene expression in brains of schizophrenia patients and their altered molecular processes, but the findings in different datasets were inconsistent and diverse. Here we performed the most comprehensive analysis of gene expression patterns to explore the underlying mechanisms and the potential biomarkers for early diagnosis in schizophrenia. We focused on 10 gene expression datasets in post-mortem human brain samples of schizophrenia downloaded from gene expression omnibus (GEO) database using the integrated bioinformatics analyses including robust rank aggregation (RRA) algorithm, Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and CIBERSORT. Machine learning algorithm was used to construct the risk prediction model for early diagnosis of schizophrenia. We identified 15 key genes (SLC1A3, AQP4, GJA1, ALDH1L1, SOX9, SLC4A4, EGR1, NOTCH2, PVALB, ID4, ABCG2, METTL7A, ARC, F3 and EMX2) in schizophrenia by performing multiple bioinformatics analysis algorithms. Moreover, the interesting part of the study is that there is a correlation between the expression of hub genes and the immune infiltrating cells estimated by CIBERSORT. Besides, the risk prediction model was constructed by using both these genes and the immune cells with a high accuracy of 0.83 in the training set, and achieved a high AUC of 0.77 for the test set. Our study identified several potential biomarkers for diagnosis of SCZ based on multiple bioinformatics algorithms, and the constructed risk prediction model using these biomarkers achieved high accuracy. The results provide evidence for an improved understanding of the molecular mechanism of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijun Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of public health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Xinwei Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of public health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Mengdi Jin
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of public health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of public health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Yang He
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of public health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Ningning Jia
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of public health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Xingyao Cui
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of public health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Yane Liu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of public health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Guoyan Hu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of public health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Qiong Yu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of public health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China.
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Li J, Yoshikawa A, Alliey-Rodriguez N, Meltzer HY. Schizophrenia risk loci from xMHC region were associated with antipsychotic response in chronic schizophrenic patients with persistent positive symptom. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:92. [PMID: 35250027 PMCID: PMC8898944 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-01854-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
We examined whether common variants from the extended major histocompatibility complex (xMHC) region contribute to the response to antipsychotic drugs (APDs) in patients with schizophrenia with persistent psychosis. Subjects participated in a prospective longitudinal study of the effect of APDs on psychopathology were temporally split into discovery (n = 88) and replication (n = 42) cohorts. The primary endpoint was a change in Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale at 6-week or 6-month after treatment. rs204991 (β = 3.917, p = 3.72 × 10-6), the strongest signal associated with response at 6-week was located near C4A/C4B after a linear regression adjusted for covariates. xMHC SNP imputation disclosed much stronger signals (rs9268469, β = 5.140, p = 1.57 × 10-7) and other weaker signals (p < 1 × 10-5) spanning the entire xMHC region. All the variants were previously identified schizophrenia risk loci. Conditional fine-mapping revealed three subgroups of SNPs which were the eQTLs (p < 1 × 10-7) for C4A, HLA-C, and BTN3A2 in disease-relevant tissue. Epistasis between HLA-C and C4A was observed (p = 0.019). Minor allele (G) carriers of rs204991, eQTL for C4A, having decreased risk for schizophrenia and lower imputed expression of C4A, had a better response to APDs. Some imputed HLA alleles associated with a decreased risk for schizophrenia had a positive association with improvement in psychotic symptoms. An independent cohort validated the association of change in psychosis with C4A. We provide evidence that genetic risk factors for schizophrenia from the xMHC region are associated with response to APDs and those variants significantly alter the imputed expression of C4A, HLA-C, and BTN3A2. The minor alleles predicting higher C4A level are associated with diminished improvement in psychotic symptoms after APD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiang Li
- grid.16753.360000 0001 2299 3507Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL USA ,grid.415341.60000 0004 0433 4040Department of Molecular and Functional Genomics, Weis Center for Research, Geisinger Health System, Danville, PA USA
| | - Akane Yoshikawa
- grid.16753.360000 0001 2299 3507Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL USA ,grid.258269.20000 0004 1762 2738Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ney Alliey-Rodriguez
- grid.16753.360000 0001 2299 3507Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL USA
| | - Herbert Y. Meltzer
- grid.16753.360000 0001 2299 3507Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL USA
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6
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Guo B, Jiang T, Wu F, Ni H, Ye J, Wu X, Ni C, Jiang M, Ye L, Li Z, Zheng X, Li S, Yang Q, Wang Z, Huang X, Zhao C. LncRNA RP5-998N21.4 promotes immune defense through upregulation of IFIT2 and IFIT3 in schizophrenia. SCHIZOPHRENIA (HEIDELBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 8:11. [PMID: 35232977 PMCID: PMC8888552 DOI: 10.1038/s41537-021-00195-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a complex polygenic disease that is affected by genetic, developmental, and environmental factors. Accumulating evidence indicates that environmental factors such as maternal infection and excessive prenatal neuroinflammation may contribute to the onset of schizophrenia by affecting epigenetic modification. We recently identified a schizophrenia-associated upregulated long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) RP5-998N21.4 by transcriptomic analysis of monozygotic twins discordant for schizophrenia. Importantly, we found that genes coexpressed with RP5-998N21.4 were enriched in immune defense-related biological processes in twin subjects and in RP5-998N21.4-overexpressing (OE) SK-N-SH cell lines. We then identified two genes encoding an interferon-induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeat (IFIT) 2 and 3, which play an important role in immune defense, as potential targets of RP5-998N21.4 by integrative analysis of RP5-998N21.4OE-induced differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in SK-N-SH cells and RP5-998N21.4-coexpressed schizophrenia-associated DEGs from twin subjects. We further demonstrated that RP5-998N21.4 positively regulates the transcription of IFIT2 and IFIT3 by binding to their promoter regions and affecting their histone modifications. In addition, as a general nuclear coactivator, RMB14 (encoding RNA binding motif protein 14) was identified to facilitate the regulatory role of RP5-998N21.4 in IFIT2 and IFIT3 transcription. Finally, we observed that RP5-998N21.4OE can enhance IFIT2- and IFIT3-mediated immune defense responses through activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) signaling pathway in U251 astrocytoma cells under treatment with the viral mimetic polyinosinic: polycytidylic acid (poly I:C). Taken together, our findings suggest that lncRNA RP5-998N21.4 is a critical regulator of immune defense, providing etiological and therapeutic implications for schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Guo
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Guangdong Technology and Engineering Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Human Genetic Diseases, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Tingyun Jiang
- The Third People's Hospital of Zhongshan, Zhongshan, Guangdong, China
| | - Fengchun Wu
- Department of Psychiatry, the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Guangzhou Huiai Hospital), Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Hongyu Ni
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Guangdong Technology and Engineering Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Human Genetic Diseases, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Junping Ye
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Guangdong Technology and Engineering Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Human Genetic Diseases, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaohui Wu
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Guangdong Technology and Engineering Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Human Genetic Diseases, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chaoying Ni
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Guangdong Technology and Engineering Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Human Genetic Diseases, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Meijun Jiang
- Guangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Linyan Ye
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Guangdong Technology and Engineering Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Human Genetic Diseases, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhongwei Li
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Guangdong Technology and Engineering Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Human Genetic Diseases, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xianzhen Zheng
- Guangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shufen Li
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Guangdong Technology and Engineering Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Human Genetic Diseases, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Qiong Yang
- Department of Psychiatry, the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Guangzhou Huiai Hospital), Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhongju Wang
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Guangdong Technology and Engineering Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Human Genetic Diseases, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xingbing Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Guangzhou Huiai Hospital), Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Cunyou Zhao
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Guangdong Technology and Engineering Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Human Genetic Diseases, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. .,Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. .,Experimental Education/Administration Center, School of Basic Medical Science, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. .,Department of Rehabilitation, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
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7
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Rahman T, Purves-Tyson T, Geddes AE, Huang XF, Newell KA, Weickert CS. N-Methyl-d-Aspartate receptor and inflammation in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2022; 240:61-70. [PMID: 34952289 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2021.11.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/27/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Lower N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) GluN1 subunit levels and heightened neuroinflammation are found in the cortex in schizophrenia. Since neuroinflammation can lead to changes in NMDAR function, it is possible that these observations are linked in schizophrenia. We aimed to extend our previous studies by measuring molecular indices of NMDARs that define key functional properties of this receptor - particularly the ratio of GluN2A and GluN2B subunits - in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) from schizophrenia and control cases (37/37). We sought to test whether changes in these measures are specific to the subset of schizophrenia cases with high levels of inflammation-related mRNAs, defined as a high inflammatory subgroup. Quantitative autoradiography was used to detect 'functional' NMDARs ([3H]MK-801), GluN1-coupled-GluN2A subunits ([3H]CGP-39653), and GluN1-coupled-GluN2B subunits ([3H]Ifenprodil). Quantitative RT-PCR was used to measure NMDAR subunit transcripts (GRIN1, GRIN2A and GRIN2B). The ratios of GluN2A:GluN2B binding and GRIN2A:GRIN2B mRNAs were calculated as an index of putative NMDAR composition. We found: 1) GluN2A binding, and 2) the ratios of GluN2A:GluN2B binding and GRIN2A:GRIN2B mRNAs were lower in schizophrenia cases versus controls (p < 0.05), and 3) lower GluN2A:GluN2B binding and GRIN2A:GRIN2B mRNA ratios were exaggerated in the high inflammation/schizophrenia subgroup compared to the low inflammation/control subgroup (p < 0.05). No other NMDAR-related indices were significantly changed in the high inflammation/schizophrenia subgroup. This suggests that neuroinflammation may alter NMDAR stoichiometry rather than targeting total NMDAR levels overall, and future studies could aim to determine if anti-inflammatory treatment can alleviate this aspect of NMDAR-related pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tasnim Rahman
- Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Tertia Purves-Tyson
- Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Amy E Geddes
- School of Medicine and Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Xu-Feng Huang
- School of Medicine and Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Kelly A Newell
- School of Medicine and Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, Australia.
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
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8
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Murphy CE, Walker AK, O'Donnell M, Galletly C, Lloyd AR, Liu D, Weickert CS, Weickert TW. Peripheral NF-κB dysregulation in people with schizophrenia drives inflammation: putative anti-inflammatory functions of NF-κB kinases. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:21. [PMID: 35027554 PMCID: PMC8758779 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01764-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Elevations in plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and C-reactive protein (CRP) in patient blood have been associated with impairments in cognitive abilities and more severe psychiatric symptoms in people with schizophrenia. The transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) regulates the gene expression of pro-inflammatory factors whose protein products trigger CRP release. NF-κB activation pathway mRNAs are increased in the brain in schizophrenia and are strongly related to neuroinflammation. Thus, it is likely that this central immune regulator is also dysregulated in the blood and associated with cytokine and CRP levels. We measured levels of six pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNAs and 18 mRNAs encoding NF-κB pathway members in peripheral blood leukocytes from 87 people with schizophrenia and 83 healthy control subjects. We then assessed the relationships between the alterations in NF-κB pathway genes, pro-inflammatory cytokine and CRP levels, psychiatric symptoms and cognition in people with schizophrenia. IL-1β and IFN-γ mRNAs were increased in patients compared to controls (both p < 0.001), while IL-6, IL-8, IL-18, and TNF-α mRNAs did not differ. Recursive two-step cluster analysis revealed that high levels of IL-1β mRNA and high levels of plasma CRP defined 'high inflammation' individuals in our cohort, and a higher proportion of people with schizophrenia were identified as displaying 'high inflammation' compared to controls using this method (p = 0.03). Overall, leukocyte expression of the NF-κB-activating receptors, TLR4 and TNFR2, and the NF-κB subunit, RelB, was increased in people with schizophrenia compared to healthy control subjects (all p < 0.01), while NF-κB-inducing kinase mRNAs IKKβ and NIK were downregulated in patients (all p < 0.05). We found that elevations in TLR4 and RelB appear more related to inflammatory status than to a diagnosis of schizophrenia, but changes in TNFR2 occur in both the high and low inflammation patients (but were exaggerated in high inflammation patients). Further, decreased leukocyte expression of IKKβ and NIK mRNAs was unique to high inflammation patients, which may represent schizophrenia-specific dysregulation of NF-κB that gives rise to peripheral inflammation in a subset of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin E Murphy
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Adam K Walker
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Drug Discovery Biology Theme, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
| | | | - Cherrie Galletly
- Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Ramsay Health Care (SA) Mental Health, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Andrew R Lloyd
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Dennis Liu
- Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
- Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Thomas W Weickert
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York, NY, USA
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Merikangas AK, Shelly M, Knighton A, Kotler N, Tanenbaum N, Almasy L. What genes are differentially expressed in individuals with schizophrenia? A systematic review. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:1373-1383. [PMID: 35091668 PMCID: PMC9095490 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01420-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a severe, complex mental disorder characterized by a combination of positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and impaired cognitive function. Schizophrenia is highly heritable (~80%) with multifactorial etiology and complex polygenic genetic architecture. Despite the large number of genetic variants associated with schizophrenia, few causal variants have been established. Gaining insight into the mechanistic influences of these genetic variants may facilitate our ability to apply these findings to prevention and treatment. Though there have been more than 300 studies of gene expression in schizophrenia over the past 15 years, none of the studies have yielded consistent evidence for specific genes that contribute to schizophrenia risk. The aim of this work is to conduct a systematic review and synthesis of case-control studies of genome-wide gene expression in schizophrenia. Comprehensive literature searches were completed in PubMed, EmBase, and Web of Science, and after a systematic review of the studies, data were extracted from those that met the following inclusion criteria: human case-control studies comparing the genome-wide transcriptome of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia to healthy controls published between January 1, 2000 and June 30, 2020 in the English language. Genes differentially expressed in cases were extracted from these studies, and overlapping genes were compared to previous research findings from the genome-wide association, structural variation, and tissue-expression studies. The transcriptome-wide analysis identified different genes than those previously reported in genome-wide association, exome sequencing, and structural variation studies of schizophrenia. Only one gene, GBP2, was replicated in five studies. Previous work has shown that this gene may play a role in immune function in the etiology of schizophrenia, which in turn could have implications for risk profiling, prevention, and treatment. This review highlights the methodological inconsistencies that impede valid meta-analyses and synthesis across studies. Standardization of the use of covariates, gene nomenclature, and methods for reporting results could enhance our understanding of the potential mechanisms through which genes exert their influence on the etiology of schizophrenia. Although these results are promising, collaborative efforts with harmonization of methodology will facilitate the identification of the role of genes underlying schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison K. Merikangas
- grid.239552.a0000 0001 0680 8770Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA USA ,grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA ,grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Lifespan Brain Institute, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Matthew Shelly
- grid.239552.a0000 0001 0680 8770Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA USA ,grid.268256.d0000 0000 8510 1943Department of Biology, College of Science and Engineering, Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, PA USA
| | - Alexys Knighton
- grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Nicholas Kotler
- grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Nicole Tanenbaum
- grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Laura Almasy
- grid.239552.a0000 0001 0680 8770Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA USA ,grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA ,grid.25879.310000 0004 1936 8972Lifespan Brain Institute, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
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Matta J, Dobrino D, Howard S, Yeboah D, Kopel J, El-Manzalawy Y, Obafemi-Ajayi T. A PheWAS Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2021; 2021:2110-2114. [PMID: 34891705 DOI: 10.1109/embc46164.2021.9629533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) exhibit a wide diversity in type, number, and severity of social deficits as well as communicative and cognitive difficulties. It is a challenge to categorize the phenotypes of a particular ASD patient with their unique genetic variants. There is a need for a better understanding of the connections between genotype information and the phenotypes to sort out the heterogeneity of ASD. In this study, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and phenotype data obtained from a simplex ASD sample are combined using a PheWAS-inspired approach to construct a phenotype-phenotype network. The network is clustered, yielding groups of etiologically related phenotypes. These clusters are analyzed to identify relevant genes associated with each set of phenotypes. The results identified multiple discriminant SNPs associated with varied phenotype clusters such as ASD aberrant behavior (self-injury, compulsiveness and hyperactivity), as well as IQ and language skills. Overall, these SNPs were linked to 22 significant genes. An extensive literature search revealed that eight of these are known to have strong evidence of association with ASD. The others have been linked to related disorders such as mental conditions, cognition, and social functioning.Clinical relevance- This study further informs on connections between certain groups of ASD phenotypes and their unique genetic variants. Such insight regarding the heterogeneity of ASD would support clinicians to advance more tailored interventions and improve outcomes for ASD patients.
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11
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Togay A, Togay B, Ozbay Gediz D, Akbaş SH, Köksoy S. Levels of lymphocyte-associated regulators of complement system CD55 and CD59 are changed in schizophrenia patients. Int J Psychiatry Clin Pract 2021; 25:277-282. [PMID: 34154502 DOI: 10.1080/13651501.2021.1927105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Although pathological mechanisms of schizophrenia are unknown, evidence in the literature suggests that the immune system might be involved in the pathogenesis. Complement is an important part of the immune system and it has been suggested to play role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. We aimed to investigate the potential involvement of the complement system in schizophrenia by the determination of peripheral concentrations of certain complement proteins and their regulators in patients. METHODS Plasma concentrations of complement C3, C4, and C1 inhibitory protein were measured by chemiluminescence in 41 schizophrenia patients and 39 healthy controls. Expression of CD55, CD59, and CD46 proteins on peripheral blood mononuclear cells were determined by flow cytometry in the same groups. RESULTS Frequencies of peripheral immune cells expressing CD55 were determined to be significantly higher in schizophrenia patients than in healthy people (p = 0.020). Frequencies of peripheral immune cells expressing CD59 was determined to be significantly higher in healthy people than in schizophrenia patients (p = 0.012). The expression level of CD55 per cell was measured to be significantly elevated in patients compared to healthy controls (p = 0.026). CONCLUSIONS Our data clearly demonstrate an elevated complement activity in schizophrenia and points to a possible complement association in the pathogenesis.Key pointsIncreased the expression level, and frequency of CD55 in schizophrenia patients.Decreased frequency of CD59 in schizophrenia patients.No difference in the expression level of CD59; the expression level, and frequency of CD46; frequency of complement C3, C4, and C1 inhibitory protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alper Togay
- Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Medicine, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Bilge Togay
- Clinic of Psychiatry, University of Health Sciences Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Deniz Ozbay Gediz
- Clinic of Psychiatry, University of Health Sciences Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Sadıka Halide Akbaş
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Sadi Köksoy
- Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Medicine, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
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12
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Dawidowski B, Górniak A, Podwalski P, Lebiecka Z, Misiak B, Samochowiec J. The Role of Cytokines in the Pathogenesis of Schizophrenia. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10173849. [PMID: 34501305 PMCID: PMC8432006 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10173849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a chronic mental illness of unknown etiology. A growing and compelling body of evidence implicates immunologic dysfunction as the key element in its pathomechanism. Cytokines, whose altered levels have been increasingly reported in various patient populations, are the major mediators involved in the coordination of the immune system. The available literature reports both elevated levels of proinflammatory as well as reduced levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines, and their effects on clinical status and neuroimaging changes. There is evidence of at least a partial genetic basis for the association between cytokine alterations and schizophrenia. Two other factors implicated in its development include early childhood trauma and disturbances in the gut microbiome. Moreover, its various subtypes, characterized by individual symptom severity and course, such as deficit schizophrenia, seem to differ in terms of changes in peripheral cytokine levels. While the use of a systematic review methodology could be difficult due to the breadth and diversity of the issues covered in this review, the applied narrative approach allows for a more holistic presentation. The aim of this narrative review was to present up-to-date evidence on cytokine dysregulation in schizophrenia, its effect on the psychopathological presentation, and links with antipsychotic medication. We also attempted to summarize its postulated underpinnings, including early childhood trauma and gut microbiome disturbances, and propose trait and state markers of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bartosz Dawidowski
- Department of Psychiatry, Pomeranian Medical University, 71-460 Szczecin, Poland; (B.D.); (A.G.); (J.S.)
| | - Adrianna Górniak
- Department of Psychiatry, Pomeranian Medical University, 71-460 Szczecin, Poland; (B.D.); (A.G.); (J.S.)
| | - Piotr Podwalski
- Department of Psychiatry, Pomeranian Medical University, 71-460 Szczecin, Poland; (B.D.); (A.G.); (J.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-510-091-466
| | - Zofia Lebiecka
- Department of Health Psychology, Pomeranian Medical University, 71-210 Szczecin, Poland;
| | - Błażej Misiak
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Consultation Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Medical University, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland;
| | - Jerzy Samochowiec
- Department of Psychiatry, Pomeranian Medical University, 71-460 Szczecin, Poland; (B.D.); (A.G.); (J.S.)
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LncRNA-AC006129.1 reactivates a SOCS3-mediated anti-inflammatory response through DNA methylation-mediated CIC downregulation in schizophrenia. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:4511-4528. [PMID: 32015466 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0662-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a complex genetic disorder, the non-Mendelian features of which are likely complicated by epigenetic factors yet to be elucidated. Here, we performed RNA sequencing of peripheral blood RNA from monozygotic twins discordant for schizophrenia, and identified a schizophrenia-associated upregulated long noncoding RNA (lncRNA, AC006129.1) that participates in the inflammatory response by enhancing SOCS3 and CASP1 expression in schizophrenia patients and further validated this finding in AC006129.1-overexpressing mice showing schizophrenia-related abnormal behaviors. We find that AC006129.1 binds to the promoter region of the transcriptional repressor Capicua (CIC), facilitates the interactions of DNA methyltransferases with the CIC promoter, and promotes DNA methylation-mediated CIC downregulation, thereby ameliorating CIC-induced SOCS3 and CASP1 repression. Derepression of SOCS3 enhances the anti-inflammatory response by inhibiting JAK/STAT-signaling activation. Our findings reveal an epigenetic mechanism with etiological and therapeutic implications for schizophrenia.
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14
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Zozulya SA, Tikhonov DV, Kaleda VG, Klyushnik TP. [Immune-inflammatory markers in remission after a first-episode psychosis in young patients]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2021; 121:59-66. [PMID: 34283531 DOI: 10.17116/jnevro202112106159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To study clinical, psychopathological and immunological features of remission after first-episode psychosis in young patients to determine the patterns of this stage and the possibility of using the results for monitoring, prognosis and optimization of therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS Fifty patients, aged 15-25 years, mean age 20.8±2.2 years, experiencing first-episode psychosis (F20, F25) and 45 healthy age-matched young men (mean age 19.2±3.2 years) were examined. The average age of psychosis manifestation was 19.8±2.5 months. Clinical, psychopathological, psychometric (PANSS and HDRS) and immunological («Neuro-immuno-test» technology) examinations were carried out at the psychotic state, during period of psychopathological symptoms reduction and further for 1-2 years until complete/significant reduction of psychotic symptoms. RESULTS Three stages of remission are revealed: I - the stage of reduction and modification of leading psychotic symptoms, II - the stage of stabilization of mental functions, III - the stage of reintegration of mental functions. It has been shown that each stage corresponds to different features of clinical symptoms and also certain spectra of immune markers (activity of leukocyte elastase, α1-proteinase inhibitor and level of autoantibodies to S100-B and OBM proteins) in blood serum of patients. The differences in the spectra of immune parameters at the second stage of remission in patients with affective (depressive) disorders define various patterns of post-psychotic development of disease. The most representative are immunological features of the third stage of remission. CONCLUSION The dynamics of immune markers in the course of remission can be considered as a biological criterion for assessment of the outcome of the first first-episode psychosis and the completeness of remission.
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Affiliation(s)
- S A Zozulya
- Mental Health Research Centre, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - V G Kaleda
- Mental Health Research Centre, Moscow, Russia
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15
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Corsi-Zuelli F, Deakin B. Impaired regulatory T cell control of astroglial overdrive and microglial pruning in schizophrenia. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 125:637-653. [PMID: 33713699 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
It is widely held that schizophrenia involves an active process of peripheral inflammation that induces or reflects brain inflammation with activation of microglia, the brain's resident immune cells. However, recent in vivo radioligand binding studies and large-scale transcriptomics in post-mortem brain report reduced markers of microglial inflammation. The findings suggest a contrary hypothesis; that microglia are diverted into their non-inflammatory synaptic remodelling phenotype that interferes with neurodevelopment and perhaps contributes to the relapsing nature of schizophrenia. Recent discoveries on the regulatory interactions between micro- and astroglial cells and immune regulatory T cells (Tregs) cohere with clinical omics data to suggest that: i) disinhibited astrocytes mediate the shift in microglial phenotype via the production of transforming growth factor-beta, which also contributes to the disturbances of dopamine and GABA function in schizophrenia, and ii) systemically impaired functioning of Treg cells contributes to the dysregulation of glial function, the low-grade peripheral inflammation, and the hitherto unexplained predisposition to auto-immunity and reduced life-expectancy in schizophrenia, including greater COVID-19 mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiana Corsi-Zuelli
- Department of Neuroscience and Behaviour, Division of Psychiatry, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, 14048-900, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Bill Deakin
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK.
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16
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Adiponectin receptor2 and HCLS1 associated proteinX-1 levels are altered in postmortem schizophrenic brain. Meta Gene 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mgene.2020.100834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
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17
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Gatta E, Saudagar V, Drnevich J, Forrest MP, Auta J, Clark LV, Sershen H, Smith RC, Grayson DR, Davis JM, Guidotti A. Concordance of Immune-Related Markers in Lymphocytes and Prefrontal Cortex in Schizophrenia. SCHIZOPHRENIA BULLETIN OPEN 2021; 2:sgab002. [PMID: 33585819 PMCID: PMC7865130 DOI: 10.1093/schizbullopen/sgab002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a severe neuropsychiatric disorder associated with a wide array of transcriptomic and neurobiochemical changes. Genome-wide transcriptomic profiling conducted in postmortem brain have provided novel insights into the pathophysiology of this disorder, and identified biological processes including immune/inflammatory-related responses, metabolic, endocrine, and synaptic function. However, few studies have investigated whether similar changes are present in peripheral tissue. Here, we used RNA-sequencing to characterize transcriptomic profiles of lymphocytes in 18 nonpsychotic controls and 19 individuals with schizophrenia. We identified 2819 differentially expressed transcripts (P nominal < .05) in the schizophrenia group when compared to controls. Bioinformatic analyses conducted on a subset of 293 genes (P nominal < .01 and |log2 FC| > 0.5) highlighted immune/inflammatory responses as key biological processes in our dataset. Differentially expressed genes in lymphocytes were highly enriched in gene expression profiles associated with cortex layer 5a and immune cells. Thus, we investigated whether the changes in transcripts levels observed in lymphocytes could also be detected in the prefrontal cortex (PFC, BA10) in a second replication cohort of schizophrenia subjects. Remarkably, mRNA levels detected in the PFC and lymphocytes were in strong agreement, and measurements obtained using RNA-sequencing positively correlated with data obtained by reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis. Collectively, our work supports a role for immune dysfunction in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia and suggests that peripheral markers can be used as accessible surrogates to investigate putative central nervous system disruptions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Gatta
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Psychiatric Institute, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Vikram Saudagar
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Psychiatric Institute, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Jenny Drnevich
- High-Performance Biological Computing, Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL
| | - Marc P Forrest
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - James Auta
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Psychiatric Institute, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Lindsay V Clark
- High-Performance Biological Computing, Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL
| | - Henry Sershen
- Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY
| | - Robert C Smith
- Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY
| | - Dennis R Grayson
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Psychiatric Institute, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - John M Davis
- Psychiatric Institute, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Alessandro Guidotti
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Psychiatric Institute, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
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Ochoa-Repáraz J, Ramelow CC, Kasper LH. A Gut Feeling: The Importance of the Intestinal Microbiota in Psychiatric Disorders. Front Immunol 2020; 11:510113. [PMID: 33193297 PMCID: PMC7604426 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.510113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The intestinal microbiota constitutes a complex ecosystem in constant reciprocal interactions with the immune, neuroendocrine, and neural systems of the host. Recent molecular technological advances allow for the exploration of this living organ and better facilitates our understanding of the biological importance of intestinal microbes in health and disease. Clinical and experimental studies demonstrate that intestinal microbes may be intimately involved in the progression of diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), including those of affective and psychiatric nature. Gut microbes regulate neuroinflammatory processes, play a role in balancing the concentrations of neurotransmitters and could provide beneficial effects against neurodegeneration. In this review, we explore some of these reciprocal interactions between gut microbes and the CNS during experimental disease and suggest that therapeutic approaches impacting the gut-brain axis may represent the next avenue for the treatment of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lloyd H. Kasper
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
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19
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Corsi-Zuelli F, Loureiro CM, Shuhama R, Fachim HA, Menezes PR, Louzada-Junior P, Mondelli V, Del-Ben CM. Cytokine profile in first-episode psychosis, unaffected siblings and community-based controls: the effects of familial liability and childhood maltreatment. Psychol Med 2020; 50:1139-1147. [PMID: 31064423 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291719001016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inflammation is a possible biological mechanism underlying the association between childhood maltreatment and psychosis. Previous investigations on this regard were mainly conducted on chronic schizophrenia and lacked control for confounders. We aim to investigate the role of familial liability, childhood maltreatment and recent stress in determining cytokine abnormalities at the onset of psychosis. METHODS We recruited 114 first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients, 57 unaffected biological siblings of FEP patients, and 251 community-based controls. Plasma cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10 and TGF-β) were measured and differences across the groups analysed after adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS FEP had a higher pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine profile (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-10 and TGF-β), which was not observed in unaffected siblings. Siblings presented decreased IL-1β when compared with patients and controls. Childhood maltreatment was associated with higher levels of TGF-β in both patients and siblings when compared with controls. Physical childhood abuse was associated with increased levels of TGF-β in FEP patients but with decreased levels in controls. Other childhood maltreatment subtypes or recent stressors did not affect cytokine levels in any of the groups. CONCLUSIONS Normal or reduced cytokines in siblings represent possibly a protective factor and suggest that the identified inflammatory profile in FEP can be a real pathophysiological component of psychosis. Experience of childhood maltreatment may contribute as long-term immune priming for the TGF-β pathway, and increased levels of this cytokine in both patients and siblings exposed to childhood maltreatment point to a possible biological candidate of familial risk for psychosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiana Corsi-Zuelli
- Department of Neuroscience and Behaviour, Division of Psychiatry, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Camila Marcelino Loureiro
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Clinical Immunology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rosana Shuhama
- Department of Neuroscience and Behaviour, Division of Psychiatry, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Helene Aparecida Fachim
- Department of Neuroscience and Behaviour, Division of Psychiatry, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Biomolecular Sciences Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK
| | - Paulo Rossi Menezes
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paulo Louzada-Junior
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Clinical Immunology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Valeria Mondelli
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Cristina Marta Del-Ben
- Department of Neuroscience and Behaviour, Division of Psychiatry, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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20
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Cai X, Chang LB, Potter J, Song C. Adaptive Fisher method detects dense and sparse signals in association analysis of SNV sets. BMC Med Genomics 2020; 13:46. [PMID: 32241265 PMCID: PMC7118831 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-020-0684-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND With the development of next generation sequencing (NGS) technology and genotype imputation methods, statistical methods have been proposed to test a set of genomic variants together to detect if any of them is associated with the phenotype or disease. In practice, within the set, there is an unknown proportion of variants truly causal or associated with the disease. There is a demand for statistical methods with high power in both dense and sparse scenarios, where the proportion of causal or associated variants is large or small respectively. RESULTS We propose a new association test - weighted Adaptive Fisher (wAF) that can adapt to both dense and sparse scenarios by adding weights to the Adaptive Fisher (AF) method we developed before. Using simulation, we show that wAF enjoys comparable or better power to popular methods such as sequence kernel association tests (SKAT and SKAT-O) and adaptive SPU (aSPU) test. We apply wAF to a publicly available schizophrenia dataset, and successfully detect thirteen genes. Among them, three genes are supported by existing literature; six are plausible as they either relate to other neurological diseases or have relevant biological functions. CONCLUSIONS The proposed wAF method is a powerful disease-variants association test in both dense and sparse scenarios. Both simulation studies and real data analysis indicate the potential of wAF for new biological findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Cai
- Department of Statistics, The Ohio State University, 1948 Neil Ave., Columbus, OH 43210, US
| | - Lo-Bin Chang
- Department of Statistics, The Ohio State University, 1948 Neil Ave., Columbus, OH 43210, US
| | - Jordan Potter
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Kenyon College, 201 N College Rd., Gambier, Ohio 43022, US
| | - Chi Song
- College of Public Health, Division of Biostatistics, The Ohio State University, 1841 Neil Ave., 208E Cunz Hall, Columbus, OH 43210, US
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van Mierlo HC, Schot A, Boks MPM, de Witte LD. The association between schizophrenia and the immune system: Review of the evidence from unbiased 'omic-studies'. Schizophr Res 2020; 217:114-123. [PMID: 31130400 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2019.05.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
A role for immune processes in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia has been suggested by genetic and epidemiological studies, as well as cross-sectional studies on blood and brain samples. However, results are heterogeneous, which is likely caused by low samples sizes, insufficient control of confounders that influence immune processes, and potentially publication bias. Large hypothesis-free 'omic' studies partially circumvent these problems and could provide further evidence for a role of immune pathways in schizophrenia. In this review we assessed whether the largest genome, transcriptome and methylome studies in schizophrenia to date support a link with the immune system. We constructed an overview of the schizophrenia-associated genes and transcripts that were identified in these large 'omic' studies. We then performed a hypothesis-driven analysis to examine the association and enrichment of immune system-related genes and transcripts in these datasets. Additionally, we reviewed secondary analyses that were previously performed on these 'omic' studies. Except for the link between complement factor 4 (C4), we found limited evidence for a role of microglia and immune processes among genetic risk variants. Transcriptome and methylome studies point towards alterations in immune system related genes, pathways and cells. This includes changes in microglia, as well as complement, nuclear factor-κB, toll-like receptor and interferon signaling pathways. Many of these associated immune-related genes and pathways have been shown to be involved in neurodevelopment and neuronal functioning. Additional replication of these findings is needed, but once further conformation is provided, these findings could be a potentially interesting target for future therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans C van Mierlo
- Department of Psychiatry, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, 3508GA Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Aron Schot
- Department of Psychiatry, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, 3508GA Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Marco P M Boks
- Department of Psychiatry, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, 3508GA Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Lot D de Witte
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine, New York, United States of America; Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), James J Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, United States of America.
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22
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Reay WR, Cairns MJ. The role of the retinoids in schizophrenia: genomic and clinical perspectives. Mol Psychiatry 2020; 25:706-718. [PMID: 31666680 PMCID: PMC7156347 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-019-0566-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Signalling by retinoid compounds is vital for embryonic development, with particular importance for neurogenesis in the human brain. Retinoids, metabolites of vitamin A, exert influence over the expression of thousands of transcripts genome wide, and thus, act as master regulators of many important biological processes. A significant body of evidence in the literature now supports dysregulation of the retinoid system as being involved in the aetiology of schizophrenia. This includes mechanistic insights from large-scale genomic, transcriptomic and, proteomic studies, which implicate disruption of disparate aspects of retinoid biology such as transport, metabolism, and signalling. As a result, retinoids may present a valuable clinical opportunity in schizophrenia via novel pharmacotherapies and dietary intervention. Further work, however, is required to expand on the largely observational data collected thus far and confirm causality. This review will highlight the fundamentals of retinoid biology and examine the evidence for retinoid dysregulation in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- William R. Reay
- 0000 0000 8831 109Xgrid.266842.cSchool of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW Australia ,grid.413648.cCentre for Brain and Mental Health Research, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW Australia
| | - Murray J. Cairns
- 0000 0000 8831 109Xgrid.266842.cSchool of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW Australia ,grid.413648.cCentre for Brain and Mental Health Research, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW Australia
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23
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Reay WR, Atkins JR, Quidé Y, Carr VJ, Green MJ, Cairns MJ. Polygenic disruption of retinoid signalling in schizophrenia and a severe cognitive deficit subtype. Mol Psychiatry 2020; 25:719-731. [PMID: 30532020 PMCID: PMC7156344 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-018-0305-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Revised: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Retinoid metabolites of vitamin A are intrinsically linked to neural development, connectivity and plasticity, and have been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. We hypothesised that a greater burden of common and rare genomic variation in genes involved with retinoid biogenesis and signalling could be associated with schizophrenia and its cognitive symptoms. Common variants associated with schizophrenia in the largest genome-wide association study were aggregated in retinoid genes and used to formulate a polygenic risk score (PRSRet) for each participant in the Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank. In support of our hypothesis, we found PRSRet to be significantly associated with the disorder. Cases with severe cognitive deficits, while not further differentiated by PRSRet, were enriched with rare variation in the retinoic acid receptor beta gene RARB, detected through whole-genome sequencing. RARB rare variant burden was also associated with reduced cerebellar volume in the cases with marked cognitive deficit, and with covariation in grey matter throughout the brain. An excess of rare variation was further observed in schizophrenia in retinoic acid response elements proximal to target genes, which we show are differentially expressed in the disorder in two RNA sequencing datasets. Our results suggest that genomic variation may disrupt retinoid signalling in schizophrenia, with particular significance for cases with severe cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- William R. Reay
- 0000 0000 8831 109Xgrid.266842.cSchool of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW Australia ,grid.413648.cCentre for Brain and Mental Health Research, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW Australia
| | - Joshua R. Atkins
- 0000 0000 8831 109Xgrid.266842.cSchool of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW Australia ,grid.413648.cCentre for Brain and Mental Health Research, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW Australia
| | - Yann Quidé
- 0000 0004 4902 0432grid.1005.4School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW Australia ,0000 0000 8900 8842grid.250407.4Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Vaughan J. Carr
- 0000 0004 4902 0432grid.1005.4School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW Australia ,0000 0000 8900 8842grid.250407.4Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW Australia ,0000 0004 1936 7857grid.1002.3Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC Australia
| | - Melissa J. Green
- 0000 0004 4902 0432grid.1005.4School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW Australia ,0000 0000 8900 8842grid.250407.4Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Murray J. Cairns
- 0000 0000 8831 109Xgrid.266842.cSchool of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW Australia ,grid.413648.cCentre for Brain and Mental Health Research, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW Australia
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24
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Subbanna M, Shivakumar V, Venugopal D, Narayanaswamy JC, Berk M, Varambally S, Venkatasubramanian G, Debnath M. Impact of antipsychotic medication on IL-6/STAT3 signaling axis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of drug-naive schizophrenia patients. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2020; 74:64-69. [PMID: 31587436 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.12938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
AIM Immunopathogenesis remains a widely appreciated etiopathological model of schizophrenia. Persistent efforts have aimed to identify schizophrenia biomarkers indexing immune system abnormalities and also immuno-dampening effects of antipsychotic medications. Although data arising from published reports are encouraging, such studies are limited to a few immune parameters and not focused on a specific pathway. Th17 cells-mediated immuno-inflammatory responses have emerged as a potential mechanism in various neuropsychiatric conditions, including schizophrenia. The Th17 pathway is distinctly regulated through a coordinated action of multiple cytokines and transcription factors. In this study, we explored whether antipsychotic medication has any effect on the cytokines and transcription factors of the Th17 pathway. METHODS A total of 27 drug-naive schizophrenia patients were recruited and followed up for 3 months after initiation of antipsychotic medication. Lymphocyte gene expression levels of two transcription factors (STAT3 and RORC) and one of their upstream regulators, IL6, were quantified before and after treatment. Plasma levels of cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-17A, IL-23, and IL-33, were also analyzed before and after treatment. RESULTS Treatment with antipsychotic medication for 3 months resulted in significant downregulation of STAT3 gene expression as well as reduction in plasma levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-17A. Significant reduction in total scores for the Scale for Assessment of Positive Symptoms and the Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms was also observed in schizophrenia patients after 3 months of antipsychotic treatment. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest possible immuno-modulatory effects of antipsychotic medication on the critical regulators, such as IL-6 and STAT3, of the Th17 pathway in schizophrenia patients. The IL-6/STAT3 signaling axis involved in the transcriptional regulation of Th17 cells might appear as an important target of antipsychotic treatment in schizophrenia patients. Alternatively, irrespective of the effect of antipsychotic drugs, the IL-6/STAT3 signaling axis might be crucially involved in ameliorating psychotic symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manjula Subbanna
- Department of Human Genetics, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India.,Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Neurobiology Research Centre, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
| | - Venkataram Shivakumar
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Neurobiology Research Centre, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India.,Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
| | - Deepthi Venugopal
- Department of Human Genetics, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India.,Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Neurobiology Research Centre, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
| | - Janardhanan C Narayanaswamy
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Neurobiology Research Centre, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India.,Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
| | - Michael Berk
- School of Medicine, IMPACT Strategic Research Centre, Barwon Health, Geelong, Australia.,Orygen, Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Shivarama Varambally
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Neurobiology Research Centre, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India.,Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
| | - Ganesan Venkatasubramanian
- Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Neurobiology Research Centre, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India.,Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
| | - Monojit Debnath
- Department of Human Genetics, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
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25
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Benros ME, Mortensen PB. Role of Infection, Autoimmunity, Atopic Disorders, and the Immune System in Schizophrenia: Evidence from Epidemiological and Genetic Studies. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2020; 44:141-159. [PMID: 30895532 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2019_93] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
An immunologic component to schizophrenia has been increasingly recognized, where infections and chronic inflammatory diseases as atopic disorders and autoimmune diseases could be involved in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Psychotic symptoms can be directly triggered by infections reaching the CNS, or be secondary to systemic inflammation indirectly affecting the brain through immune components, such as brain-reactive antibodies and cytokines. Large-scale epidemiological studies have consistently displayed that infections, autoimmune diseases, and atopic disorders are associated with increased risk of schizophrenia and that schizophrenia is associated with increased levels of immune markers at diagnosis. However, since there is also an increased risk of immune-related diseases after the diagnosis with schizophrenia and in family members of individuals with schizophrenia, parts of the association could also be due to heritable factors. Shared genetic factor might account for some of this increased prevalence of immune-related diseases among individuals with schizophrenia, and indeed the most pronounced genetic association with schizophrenia lies within the HLA region, which is one of the most important regions for the immune system. However, genetic studies have shown that the common genetic variants associated with schizophrenia do not seem to increase the susceptibility for acquiring infections. Nonetheless, shared genes with the susceptibility for acquiring infections not captured by the polygenic risk score for schizophrenia could still influence the association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael E Benros
- Mental Health Centre Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
- National Centre for Register Based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Preben B Mortensen
- National Centre for Register Based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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26
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Velásquez E, Martins-de-Souza D, Velásquez I, Carneiro GRA, Schmitt A, Falkai P, Domont GB, Nogueira FCS. Quantitative Subcellular Proteomics of the Orbitofrontal Cortex of Schizophrenia Patients. J Proteome Res 2019; 18:4240-4253. [PMID: 31581776 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.9b00398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a chronic disease characterized by the impairment of mental functions with a marked social dysfunction. A quantitative proteomic approach using iTRAQ labeling and SRM, applied to the characterization of mitochondria (MIT), crude nuclear fraction (NUC), and cytoplasm (CYT), can allow the observation of dynamic changes in cell compartments providing valuable insights concerning schizophrenia physiopathology. Mass spectrometry analyses of the orbitofrontal cortex from 12 schizophrenia patients and 8 healthy controls identified 655 protein groups in the MIT fraction, 1500 in NUC, and 1591 in CYT. We found 166 groups of proteins dysregulated among all enriched cellular fractions. Through the quantitative proteomic analysis, we detect as the main biological pathways those related to calcium and glutamate imbalance, cell signaling disruption of CREB activation, axon guidance, and proteins involved in the activation of NF-kB signaling along with the increase of complement protein C3. Based on our data analysis, we suggest the activation of NF-kB as a possible pathway that links the deregulation of glutamate, calcium, apoptosis, and the activation of the immune system in schizophrenia patients. All MS data are available in the ProteomeXchange Repository under the identifier PXD015356 and PXD014350.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Velásquez
- Proteomics Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry , Federal University of Rio de Janeiro , Rio de Janeiro 21941-909 , Brazil
| | - Daniel Martins-de-Souza
- Laboratory of Neuroproteomics, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biology , University of Campinas (UNICAMP) , Campinas 13083-970 , Brazil.,Experimental Medicine Research Cluster (EMRC) University of Campinas , Campinas 13083-887 , SP , Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Biomarcadores em Neuropsiquiatria (INBION) , Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientı́fico e Tecnológico (CNPq) , São Paulo , Brazil
| | | | - Gabriel Reis Alves Carneiro
- Laboratory of Proteomics, LADETEC, Institute of Chemistry , Federal University of Rio de Janeiro , Rio de Janeiro 21941-598 , Brazil
| | - Andrea Schmitt
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) , 80539 Munich , Germany
| | - Peter Falkai
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) , 80539 Munich , Germany
| | - Gilberto B Domont
- Proteomics Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry , Federal University of Rio de Janeiro , Rio de Janeiro 21941-909 , Brazil
| | - Fabio C S Nogueira
- Proteomics Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry , Federal University of Rio de Janeiro , Rio de Janeiro 21941-909 , Brazil.,Laboratory of Proteomics, LADETEC, Institute of Chemistry , Federal University of Rio de Janeiro , Rio de Janeiro 21941-598 , Brazil
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27
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Duan J, Sanders AR, Gejman PV. From Schizophrenia Genetics to Disease Biology: Harnessing New Concepts and Technologies. JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY AND BRAIN SCIENCE 2019; 4:e190014. [PMID: 31555746 PMCID: PMC6760308 DOI: 10.20900/jpbs.20190014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SZ) is a severe mental disorder afflicting around 1% of the population. It is highly heritable but with complex genetics. Recent research has unraveled a plethora of risk loci for SZ. Accordingly, our conceptual understanding of SZ genetics has been rapidly evolving, from oligogenic models towards polygenic or even omnigenic models. A pressing challenge to the field, however, is the translation of the many genetic findings of SZ into disease biology insights leading to more effective treatments. Bridging this gap requires the integration of genetic findings and functional genomics using appropriate cellular models. Harnessing new technologies, such as the development of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) and the CRISPR/Cas-based genome/epigenome editing approach are expected to change our understanding of SZ disease biology to a fundamentally higher level. Here, we discuss some new developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jubao Duan
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL 60201, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Alan R. Sanders
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL 60201, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Pablo V. Gejman
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL 60201, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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28
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Roomruangwong C, Noto C, Kanchanatawan B, Anderson G, Kubera M, Carvalho AF, Maes M. The Role of Aberrations in the Immune-Inflammatory Response System (IRS) and the Compensatory Immune-Regulatory Reflex System (CIRS) in Different Phenotypes of Schizophrenia: the IRS-CIRS Theory of Schizophrenia. Mol Neurobiol 2019; 57:778-797. [PMID: 31473906 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-019-01737-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Several lines of evidence indicate that aberrations in immune-inflammatory pathways may contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Here, we propose a novel theoretical framework that was previously developed for major depression and bipolar disorder, namely, the compensatory immune-regulatory reflex system (CIRS), as applied to the neuro-immune pathophysiology of schizophrenia and its phenotypes, including first-episode psychosis (FEP), acute relapses, chronic and treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS), comorbid depression, and deficit schizophrenia. These schizophrenia phenotypes and manifestations are accompanied by increased production of positive acute-phase proteins, including haptoglobin and α2-macroglobulin, complement factors, and macrophagic M1 (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α), T helper (Th)-1 (interferon-γ and IL-2R), Th-2 (IL-4, IL-5), Th-17 (IL-17), and T regulatory (Treg; IL-10 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1) cytokines, cytokine-induced activation of the tryptophan catabolite (TRYCAT) pathway, and chemokines, including CCL-11 (eotaxin), CCL-2, CCL-3, and CXCL-8. While the immune profiles in the different schizophrenia phenotypes indicate the activation of the immune-inflammatory response system (IRS), there are simultaneous signs of CIRS activation, including increased levels of the IL-1 receptor antagonist (sIL-1RA), sIL-2R and tumor necrosis factor-α receptors, Th-2 and Treg phenotypes with increased IL-4 and IL-10 production, and increased levels of TRYCATs and haptoglobin, α2-macroglobulin, and other acute-phase reactants, which have immune-regulatory and anti-inflammatory effects. Signs of activated IRS and CIRS pathways are also detected in TRS, chronic, and deficit schizophrenia, indicating that these conditions are accompanied by a new homeostatic setpoint between upregulated IRS and CIRS components. In FEP, increased baseline CIRS activity is a protective factor that may predict favorable clinical outcomes. Moreover, impairments in the CIRS are associated with deficit schizophrenia and greater impairments in semantic and episodic memory. It is concluded that CIRS plays a key role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia by negatively regulating the primary IRS and contributing to recovery from the acute phase of illness. Therefore, components of the CIRS may offer promising therapeutic targets for schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chutima Roomruangwong
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Cristiano Noto
- Schizophrenia Program (PROESQ), Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil
- GAPi (Early Psychosis Group), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Buranee Kanchanatawan
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Marta Kubera
- Department of Experimental Endocrinology, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Andre F Carvalho
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Centre for Addiction & Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, M6J 1H4, Canada
| | - Michael Maes
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
- IMPACT Strategic Research Centre, Deakin University, Geelong, Vic, Australia.
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29
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Casquero-Veiga M, García-García D, MacDowell KS, Pérez-Caballero L, Torres-Sánchez S, Fraguas D, Berrocoso E, Leza JC, Arango C, Desco M, Soto-Montenegro ML. Risperidone administered during adolescence induced metabolic, anatomical and inflammatory/oxidative changes in adult brain: A PET and MRI study in the maternal immune stimulation animal model. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2019; 29:880-896. [PMID: 31229322 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2019.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Inflammation and oxidative stress (IOS) are considered key pathophysiological elements in the development of mental disorders. Recent studies demonstrated that the antipsychotic risperidone elicits an antiinflammatory effect in the brain. We administered risperidone for 2-weeks at adolescence to assess its role in preventing brain-related IOS changes in the maternal immune stimulation (MIS) model at adulthood. We also investigated the development of volumetric and neurotrophic abnormalities in areas related to the HPA-axis. Poly I:C (MIS) or saline (Sal) were injected into pregnant Wistar rats on GD15. Male offspring received risperidone or vehicle daily from PND35-PND49. We studied 4 groups (8-15 animals/group): Sal-vehicle, MIS-vehicle, Sal-risperidone and MIS-risperidone. [18F]FDG-PET and MRI studies were performed at adulthood and analyzed using SPM12 software. IOS and neurotrophic markers were measured using WB and ELISA assays in brain tissue. Risperidone elicited a protective function of schizophrenia-related IOS deficits. In particular, risperidone elicited the following effects: reduced volume in the ventricles and the pituitary gland; reduced glucose metabolism in the cerebellum, periaqueductal gray matter, and parietal cortex; higher FDG uptake in the cingulate cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, and brainstem; reduced NFκB activity and iNOS expression; and increased enzymatic activity of CAT and SOD in some brain areas. Our study suggests that some schizophrenia-related IOS changes can be prevented in the MIS model. It also stresses the need to search for novel strategies based on anti-inflammatory compounds in risk populations at early stages in order to alter the course of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Casquero-Veiga
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain; CIBER de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - David García-García
- Department of Bioengineering and Aerospace Engineering, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Leganés, Spain; Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad Isabel I, Burgos, Spain
| | - Karina S MacDowell
- CIBER de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain; Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense (UCM), IIS Imas12, IUIN, Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Pérez-Caballero
- CIBER de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain; Neuropsychopharmacology & Psychobiology Research Group, Psychobiology Area, Department of Psychology, Universidad de Cádiz, Puerto Real (Cádiz), Spain; Instituto de Investigación e Innovación en Ciencias Biomédicas de Cádiz, INiBICA, Hospital Universitario Puerta del Mar, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Sonia Torres-Sánchez
- CIBER de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación e Innovación en Ciencias Biomédicas de Cádiz, INiBICA, Hospital Universitario Puerta del Mar, Cádiz, Spain; Neuropsychopharmacology & Psychobiology Research Group, Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
| | - David Fraguas
- CIBER de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense (UCM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Esther Berrocoso
- CIBER de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain; Neuropsychopharmacology & Psychobiology Research Group, Psychobiology Area, Department of Psychology, Universidad de Cádiz, Puerto Real (Cádiz), Spain; Instituto de Investigación e Innovación en Ciencias Biomédicas de Cádiz, INiBICA, Hospital Universitario Puerta del Mar, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Juan C Leza
- CIBER de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain; Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense (UCM), IIS Imas12, IUIN, Madrid, Spain
| | - Celso Arango
- CIBER de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense (UCM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Desco
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain; Department of Bioengineering and Aerospace Engineering, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Leganés, Spain; CIBER de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain; Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, CNIC, Madrid, Spain.
| | - María Luisa Soto-Montenegro
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain; CIBER de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
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30
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Chellappa SA, Pathak AK, Sinha P, Jainarayanan ASHWINK, Jain S, Brahmachari SK. Meta-analysis of genomic variants and gene expression data in schizophrenia suggests the potential need for adjunctive therapeutic interventions for neuropsychiatric disorders. J Genet 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s12041-019-1101-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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31
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Anirudh Chellappa S, Pathak AK, Sinha P, Jainarayanan AK, Jain S, Brahmachari SK. Meta-analysis of genomic variants and gene expression data in schizophrenia suggests the potential need for adjunctive therapeutic interventions for neuropsychiatric disorders. J Genet 2019; 98:60. [PMID: 31204709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SZ) is a debilitating mental illness with a multigenic aetiology and significant heritability. Despite extensive genetic studies, the molecular aetiology has remained enigmatic. A recent systems biology study suggested a protein-protein interaction network for SZ with 504 novel interactions. The onset of psychiatric disorders is predominant during adolescence, often accompanied by subtle structural abnormalities in multiple regions of the brain. The availability of BrainSpan Atlas data allowed us to re-examine the genes present in the SZ interactome as a function of space and time. The availability of genomes of healthy centenarians and nonpsychiatric Exome Aggregation Consortium database allowed us to identify the variants of criticality. The expression of the SZ candidate genes responsible for cognition and disease onset was studied in different brain regions during particular developmental stages. A subset of novel interactors detected in the network was further validated using gene expression data of post-mortem brains of patients with psychiatric illness. We have narrowed down the list of drug targets proposed by theprevious interactome study to 10 proteins. These proteins belonging to 81 biological pathways are targeted by 34 known Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs that have distinct potential for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. We also report the possibility of targeting key genes belonging to celecoxib pharmacodynamics, Gα signalling and cGMP-PKG signalling pathwaysthat are not known to be specific to SZ aetiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Anirudh Chellappa
- Centre for Open Innovation - Indian Centre for Social Transformation (ICST), Bengaluru 560 001, India
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Rhoades R, Jackson F, Teng S. Discovery of rare variants implicated in schizophrenia using next-generation sequencing. JOURNAL OF TRANSLATIONAL GENETICS AND GENOMICS 2019; 3:1-20. [PMID: 33981965 PMCID: PMC8112455 DOI: 10.20517/jtgg.2018.26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a highly heritable psychiatric disorder that affects 1% of the population. Genome-wide association studies have identified common variants in candidate genes associated with schizophrenia, but the genetics mechanisms of this disorder have not yet been elucidated. The discovery of rare genetic variants that contribute to schizophrenia symptoms promises to help explain the missing heritability of the disease. Next generation sequencing techniques are revolutionizing the field of psychiatric genetics. Various statistical approaches have been developed for rare variant association testing in case-control and family studies. Targeted resequencing, whole exome sequencing and whole genome sequencing combined with these computational tools are used for the discovery of rare genetic variations in schizophrenia. The findings provide useful information for characterizing the rare mutations and elucidating the genetic mechanisms by which the variants cause schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raina Rhoades
- Department of Biology, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USA
| | - Fatimah Jackson
- Department of Biology, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USA
| | - Shaolei Teng
- Department of Biology, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USA
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Dopamine perturbation of gene co-expression networks reveals differential response in schizophrenia for translational machinery. Transl Psychiatry 2018; 8:278. [PMID: 30546022 PMCID: PMC6293320 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0325-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The dopaminergic hypothesis of schizophrenia (SZ) postulates that positive symptoms of SZ, in particular psychosis, are due to disturbed neurotransmission via the dopamine (DA) receptor D2 (DRD2). However, DA is a reactive molecule that yields various oxidative species, and thus has important non-receptor-mediated effects, with empirical evidence of cellular toxicity and neurodegeneration. Here we examine non-receptor-mediated effects of DA on gene co-expression networks and its potential role in SZ pathology. Transcriptomic profiles were measured by RNA-seq in B-cell transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines from 514 SZ cases and 690 controls, both before and after exposure to DA ex vivo (100 μM). Gene co-expression modules were identified using Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis for both baseline and DA-stimulated conditions, with each module characterized for biological function and tested for association with SZ status and SNPs from a genome-wide panel. We identified seven co-expression modules under baseline, of which six were preserved in DA-stimulated data. One module shows significantly increased association with SZ after DA perturbation (baseline: P = 0.023; DA-stimulated: P = 7.8 × 10-5; ΔAIC = -10.5) and is highly enriched for genes related to ribosomal proteins and translation (FDR = 4 × 10-141), mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, and neurodegeneration. SNP association testing revealed tentative QTLs underlying module co-expression, notably at FASTKD2 (top P = 2.8 × 10-6), a gene involved in mitochondrial translation. These results substantiate the role of translational machinery in SZ pathogenesis, providing insights into a possible dopaminergic mechanism disrupting mitochondrial function, and demonstrates the utility of disease-relevant functional perturbation in the study of complex genetic etiologies.
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Minakova E, Warner BB. Maternal immune activation, central nervous system development and behavioral phenotypes. Birth Defects Res 2018; 110:1539-1550. [PMID: 30430765 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Maternal immune activation (MIA) refers to a maternal immune system triggered by infectious or infectious-like stimuli. A cascade of cytokines and immunologic alterations are transmitted to the fetus, resulting in adverse phenotypes most notably in the central nervous system. Epidemiologic studies implicate maternal infections in a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders, most commonly autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia. In animal models, MIA causes neurochemical and anatomic changes in the brain that correspond to those found in humans with the disorders. As our understanding of the interactions between environment, genetics, and immune system grows, the role of alternative, noninfectious risk factors, such as prenatal stress, obesity, and the gut microbiome also becomes clearer. This review considers how infectious and noninfectious etiologies activate the maternal immune system. Their impact on fetal programming and neuropsychiatric disorders in offspring is examined in the context of human and animal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Minakova
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Washington University in St Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri
| | - Barbara B Warner
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Washington University in St Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri
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35
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Altered hippocampal gene expression and structure in transgenic mice overexpressing neuregulin 1 (Nrg1) type I. Transl Psychiatry 2018; 8:229. [PMID: 30348978 PMCID: PMC6197224 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0288-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Revised: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Transgenic mice overexpressing the type I isoform of neuregulin 1 (Nrg1; NRG1) have alterations in hippocampal gamma oscillations and an age-emergent deficit in hippocampus-dependent spatial working memory. Here, we examined the molecular and morphological correlates of these findings. Microarrays showed over 100 hippocampal transcripts differentially expressed in Nrg1tg-type I mice, with enrichment of genes related to neuromodulation and, in older mice, of genes involved in inflammation and immunity. Nrg1tg-type I mice had an enlarged hippocampus with a widened dentate gyrus. The results show that Nrg1 type I impacts on hippocampal gene expression and structure in a multifaceted and partly age-related way, complementing the evidence implicating Nrg1 signaling in aspects of hippocampal function. The findings are also relevant to the possible role of NRG1 signaling in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia or other disorders affecting this brain region.
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Walss-Bass C, Lokesh GLR, Dyukova E, Gorenstein DG, Roberts DL, Velligan D, Volk DE. X-Aptamer Technology Identifies C4A and ApoB in Blood as Potential Markers for Schizophrenia. MOLECULAR NEUROPSYCHIATRY 2018; 5:52-59. [PMID: 31019918 DOI: 10.1159/000492331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The field of proteomics is rapidly gaining territory as a promising alternative to genomic approaches in the efforts to unravel the complex molecular mechanisms underlying schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders. X-aptamer tech-nology has emerged as a novel proteomic approach for high-sensitivity analyses, and we hypothesized that this technology would identify unique molecular signatures in plasma samples from schizophrenia patients (n = 60) compared to controls (n = 20). Using a combinatorial library of X-aptamer beads, we developed a two-color flow cytometer-based approach to identify specific X-aptamers that bound with high specificity to each target group. Based on this, we synthesized two unique X-aptamer sequences, and specific proteins pulled down from the patient and control groups by these X-aptamers were identified by mass spectrometry. We identified two protein biomarkers, complement component C4A and ApoB, upregulated in plasma samples from schizophrenia patients. ELISA validation suggested that the observed differences in C4 levels in patients are likely due to the presence of the illness itself, while ApoB may be a marker of antipsychotic-induced alterations. These studies highlight the utility of the X-aptamer technology in the identification of biomarkers for schizophrenia that will advance our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of this disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Consuelo Walss-Bass
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Ganesh L R Lokesh
- Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Elena Dyukova
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - David G Gorenstein
- Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - David L Roberts
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Dawn Velligan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - David E Volk
- Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
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Duan J, Göring HHH, Sanders AR, Moy W, Freda J, Drigalenko EI, Kos M, He D, Gejman PV. Transcriptomic signatures of schizophrenia revealed by dopamine perturbation in an ex vivo model. Transl Psychiatry 2018; 8:158. [PMID: 30115913 PMCID: PMC6095865 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0216-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The dopaminergic hypothesis of schizophrenia (SZ) postulates that dopaminergic over activity causes psychosis, a central feature of SZ, based on the observation that blocking dopamine (DA) improves psychotic symptoms. DA is known to have both receptor- and non-receptor-mediated effects, including oxidative mechanisms that lead to apoptosis. The role of DA-mediated oxidative processes in SZ has been little studied. Here, we have used a cell perturbation approach and measured transcriptomic profiles by RNAseq to study the effect of DA exposure on transcription in B-cell transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) from 514 SZ cases and 690 controls. We found that DA had widespread effects on both cell growth and gene expression in LCLs. Overall, 1455 genes showed statistically significant differential DA response in SZ cases and controls. This set of differentially expressed genes is enriched for brain expression and for functions related to immune processes and apoptosis, suggesting that DA may play a role in SZ pathogenesis through modulating those systems. Moreover, we observed a non-significant enrichment of genes near genome-wide significant SZ loci and with genes spanned by SZ-associated copy number variants (CNVs), which suggests convergent pathogenic mechanisms detected by both genetic association and gene expression. The study suggests a novel role of DA in the biological processes of immune and apoptosis that may be relevant to SZ pathogenesis. Furthermore, our results show the utility of pathophysiologically relevant perturbation experiments to investigate the biology of complex mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jubao Duan
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Harald H H Göring
- South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Alan R Sanders
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Winton Moy
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jessica Freda
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Eugene I Drigalenko
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Mark Kos
- South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Deli He
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Pablo V Gejman
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
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Avramopoulos D. Recent Advances in the Genetics of Schizophrenia. MOLECULAR NEUROPSYCHIATRY 2018; 4:35-51. [PMID: 29998117 PMCID: PMC6032037 DOI: 10.1159/000488679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2017] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The last decade brought tremendous progress in the field of schizophrenia genetics. As a result of extensive collaborations and multiple technological advances, we now recognize many types of genetic variants that increase the risk. These include large copy number variants, rare coding inherited and de novο variants, and over 100 loci harboring common risk variants. While the type and contribution to the risk vary among genetic variants, there is concordance in the functions of genes they implicate, such as those whose RNA binds the fragile X-related protein FMRP and members of the activity-regulated cytoskeletal complex involved in learning and memory. Gene expression studies add important information on the biology of the disease and recapitulate the same functional gene groups. Studies of alternative phenotypes help us widen our understanding of the genetic architecture of mental function and dysfunction, how diseases overlap not only with each other but also with non-disease phenotypes. The challenge is to apply this new knowledge to prevention and treatment and help patients. The data generated so far and emerging technologies, including new methods in cell engineering, offer significant promise that in the next decade we will unlock the translational potential of these significant discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Avramopoulos
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Reibe S, Hjorth M, Febbraio MA, Whitham M. GeneXX: an online tool for the exploration of transcript changes in skeletal muscle associated with exercise. Physiol Genomics 2018; 50:376-384. [PMID: 29547064 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00127.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Exercise stimulates a wide array of biological processes, but the mechanisms involved are incompletely understood. Many previous studies have adopted transcriptomic analyses of skeletal muscle to address particular research questions, a process that ultimately results in the collection of large amounts of publicly available data that has not been fully integrated or interrogated. To maximize the use of these available transcriptomic exercise data sets, we have downloaded and reanalyzed them and formulated the data into a searchable online tool, geneXX. GeneXX is highly intuitive and free and provides immediate information regarding the response of a transcript of interest to exercise in skeletal muscle. To demonstrate its utility, we carried out a meta-analysis on the included data sets and show transcript changes in skeletal muscle that persist regardless of sex, exercise mode, and duration, some of which have had minimal attention in the context of exercise. We also demonstrate how geneXX can be used to formulate novel hypotheses on the complex effects of exercise, using preliminary data already generated. This resource represents a valuable tool for researchers with interests in human skeletal muscle adaptation to exercise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskia Reibe
- Cellular and Molecular Metabolism Laboratory, Diabetes and Metabolism Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research , Sydney, New South Wales , Australia.,St. Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales , Sydney, New South Wales , Australia
| | - Marit Hjorth
- Cellular and Molecular Metabolism Laboratory, Diabetes and Metabolism Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research , Sydney, New South Wales , Australia.,St. Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales , Sydney, New South Wales , Australia
| | - Mark A Febbraio
- Cellular and Molecular Metabolism Laboratory, Diabetes and Metabolism Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research , Sydney, New South Wales , Australia.,St. Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales , Sydney, New South Wales , Australia
| | - Martin Whitham
- Cellular and Molecular Metabolism Laboratory, Diabetes and Metabolism Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research , Sydney, New South Wales , Australia.,St. Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales , Sydney, New South Wales , Australia
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Kroken RA, Sommer IE, Steen VM, Dieset I, Johnsen E. Constructing the Immune Signature of Schizophrenia for Clinical Use and Research; An Integrative Review Translating Descriptives Into Diagnostics. Front Psychiatry 2018; 9:753. [PMID: 30766494 PMCID: PMC6365449 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is considered a syndrome comprised by several disease phenotypes, covering a range of underlying pathologies. One of these disease mechanisms seems to involve immune dysregulation and neuroinflammation. While the current dopamine receptor-blocking antipsychotic drugs decrease psychotic symptoms and prevent relapse in the majority of patients with schizophrenia, there is a huge need to explore new treatment options that target other pathophysiological pathways. Such studies should aim at identifying robust biomarkers in order to diagnose and monitor the immune biophenotype in schizophrenia and develop better selection procedures for clinical trials with anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating drugs. In this focused review, we describe available methods to assess inflammatory status and immune disturbances in vivo. We also outline findings of immune disturbances and signs of inflammation at cellular, protein, and brain imaging levels in patients with schizophrenia. Furthermore, we summarize the results from studies with anti-inflammatory or other immune-modulating drugs, highlighting how such studies have dealt with participant selection. Finally, we propose a strategy to construct an immune signature that may be helpful in selecting and monitoring participants in studies with immune modulating drugs and also applicable in regular clinical work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rune A Kroken
- Psychiatric Division, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.,Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Iris E Sommer
- Department of Neuroscience and Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.,Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Vidar M Steen
- Department of Clinical Science, Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Dr. E. Martens Research Group of Biological Psychiatry, Department of Medical Genetics, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Ingrid Dieset
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Acute Psychiatric Department, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Erik Johnsen
- Psychiatric Division, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.,Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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Associations between SNPs and immune-related circulating proteins in schizophrenia. Sci Rep 2017; 7:12586. [PMID: 28974776 PMCID: PMC5626704 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-12986-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and proteomic studies have provided convincing evidence implicating alterations in immune/inflammatory processes in schizophrenia. However, despite the convergence of evidence, direct links between the genetic and proteomic findings are still lacking for schizophrenia. We investigated associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the custom-made PsychArray and the expression levels of 190 multiplex immunoassay profiled serum proteins in 149 schizophrenia patients and 198 matched controls. We identified associations between 81 SNPs and 29 proteins, primarily involved in immune/inflammation responses. Significant SNPxDiagnosis interactions were identified for eight serum proteins including Factor-VII[rs555212], Alpha-1-Antitrypsin[rs11846959], Interferon-Gamma Induced Protein 10[rs4256246] and von-Willebrand-Factor[rs12829220] in the control group; Chromogranin-A[rs9658644], Cystatin-C[rs2424577] and Vitamin K-Dependent Protein S[rs6123] in the schizophrenia group; Interleukin-6 receptor[rs7553796] in both the control and schizophrenia groups. These results suggested that the effect of these SNPs on expression of the respective proteins varies with diagnosis. The combination of patient-specific genetic information with blood biomarker data opens a novel approach to investigate disease mechanisms in schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders. Our findings not only suggest that blood protein expression is influenced by polymorphisms in the corresponding gene, but also that the effect of certain SNPs on expression of proteins can vary with diagnosis.
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