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Di Bartolomeo M, Stark T, Maurel OM, Iannotti FA, Kuchar M, Ruda-Kucerova J, Piscitelli F, Laudani S, Pekarik V, Salomone S, Arosio B, Mechoulam R, Maccarrone M, Drago F, Wotjak CT, Di Marzo V, Vismara M, Dell'Osso B, D'Addario C, Micale V. Crosstalk between the transcriptional regulation of dopamine D2 and cannabinoid CB1 receptors in schizophrenia: Analyses in patients and in perinatal Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-exposed rats. Pharmacol Res 2021; 164:105357. [PMID: 33285233 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.105357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 11/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Perinatal exposure to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) affects brain development and might increase the incidence of psychopathology later in life, which seems to be related to a dysregulation of endocannabinoid and/or dopaminergic systems. We here evaluated the transcriptional regulation of the genes encoding for the cannabinoid CB1 receptor (Cnr1) and the dopamine D2 receptor (Drd2) in perinatal THC-(pTHC) exposed male rats, focusing on the role of DNA methylation analyzed by pyrosequencing. Simultaneously, the molecular and behavioral abnormalities at two different time points (i.e., neonatal age and adulthood) and the potential preventive effect of peripubertal treatment with cannabidiol, a non-euphoric component of Cannabis, were assessed. The DRD2 methylation was also evaluated in a cohort of subjects with schizophrenia. We observed an increase in both Cnr1 and Drd2 mRNA levels selectively in the prefrontal cortex of adult pTHC-exposed rats with a consistent reduction in DNA methylation at the Drd2 regulatory region, paralleled by social withdrawal and cognitive impairment which were reversed by cannabidiol treatment. These adult abnormalities were preceded at neonatal age by delayed appearance of neonatal reflexes, higher Drd2 mRNA and lower 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) brain levels, which persisted till adulthood. Alterations of the epigenetic mark for DRD2 were also found in subjects with schizophrenia. Overall, reported data add further evidence to the dopamine-cannabinoid interaction in terms of DRD2 and CNR1 dysregulation which could be implicated in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia spectrum disorders, suggesting that cannabidiol treatment may normalize pTHC-induced psychopathology by modulating the altered dopaminergic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Di Bartolomeo
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Tibor Stark
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; Neuronal Plasticity Research Group, Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Oriana Maria Maurel
- Neuronal Plasticity Research Group, Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Fabio Arturo Iannotti
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Endocannabinoid Research Group, Naples, Italy
| | - Martin Kuchar
- Forensic Laboratory of Biologically Active Substances, Department of Chemistry of Natural Compounds, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Prague, Czech Republic; National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Ruda-Kucerova
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Fabiana Piscitelli
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Endocannabinoid Research Group, Naples, Italy
| | - Samuele Laudani
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Vladimir Pekarik
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Salvatore Salomone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Beatrice Arosio
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Fondazione Ca' Granda, IRCCS, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Raphael Mechoulam
- Institute for Drug Research, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Mauro Maccarrone
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy; European Center for Brain Research, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Filippo Drago
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Carsten T Wotjak
- Neuronal Plasticity Research Group, Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & KO KG, Germany
| | - Vincenzo Di Marzo
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Endocannabinoid Research Group, Naples, Italy; Canada Excellence Research Chair on the Microbiome-Endocannabinoidome Axis in Metabolic, Health, Université Laval, Quebec City, Canada; Joint International Unit on Chemical and Biomolecular Research on the Microbiome and its Impact on Metabolic Health and Nutrition (UMI-MicroMeNu), between Université Laval and Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, CNR, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Matteo Vismara
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences 'Luigi Sacco', University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Department of Mental Health, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Bernardo Dell'Osso
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences 'Luigi Sacco', University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Department of Mental Health, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milan, Italy; "Aldo Ravelli" Research Center for Neurotechnology and Experimental Brain Therapeutics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan Medical School, Milan, Italy; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, California, USA
| | - Claudio D'Addario
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Vincenzo Micale
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy; National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic.
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Duchatel RJ, Harms LR, Meehan CL, Michie PT, Bigland MJ, Smith DW, Jobling P, Hodgson DM, Tooney PA. Reduced cortical somatostatin gene expression in a rat model of maternal immune activation. Psychiatry Res 2019; 282:112621. [PMID: 31648143 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2019.112621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Alterations in GABAergic interneurons and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) are observed in the brains of people with schizophrenia. Studies also show increased density of interstitial white matter neurons (IWMN), including those containing GAD and somatostatin (SST) in the brain in schizophrenia. Maternal immune activation can be modelled in rodents to investigate the relationship between prenatal exposure to infections and increased risk of developing schizophrenia. We reported that maternal immune activation induced an increase in density of somatostatin-positive IWMN in the adult rat offspring. Here we hypothesised that maternal immune activation induced in pregnant rats by polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid would alter SST and GAD gene expression as well as increase the density of GAD-positive IWMNs in the adult offspring. SST gene expression was significantly reduced in the cingulate cortex of adult offspring exposed to late gestation maternal immune activation. There was no change in cortical GAD gene expression nor GAD-positive IWMN density in adults rats exposed to maternal immune activation at either early or late gestation. This suggests that our model of maternal immune activation induced by prenatal exposure of rats to polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid during late gestation is able to recapitulate changes in SST but not other GABAergic neuropathologies observed in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J Duchatel
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Priority Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305 Australia.
| | - Lauren R Harms
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Priority Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305 Australia.
| | - Crystal L Meehan
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Priority Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305 Australia.
| | - Patricia T Michie
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Priority Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305 Australia.
| | - Mark J Bigland
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Priority Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305 Australia.
| | - Doug W Smith
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Priority Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305 Australia.
| | - Phillip Jobling
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Priority Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305 Australia.
| | - Deborah M Hodgson
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Priority Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305 Australia.
| | - Paul A Tooney
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Priority Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305 Australia.
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D'Addario C, Micale V, Di Bartolomeo M, Stark T, Pucci M, Sulcova A, Palazzo M, Babinska Z, Cremaschi L, Drago F, Carlo Altamura A, Maccarrone M, Dell'Osso B. A preliminary study of endocannabinoid system regulation in psychosis: Distinct alterations of CNR1 promoter DNA methylation in patients with schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2017; 188:132-140. [PMID: 28108228 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2017.01.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2016] [Revised: 01/10/2017] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Compelling evidence supports the involvement of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in psychosis vulnerability. We here evaluated the transcriptional regulation of ECS components in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from subjects suffering from bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder and schizophrenia, focusing in particular on the effects of DNA methylation. We observed selective alterations of DNA methylation at the promoter of CNR1, the gene coding for the type-1 cannabinoid receptor, in schizophrenic patients (N=25) with no changes in any other disorder. We confirmed the regulation of CNR1 in a well-validated animal model of schizophrenia, induced by prenatal methylazoxymethanol (MAM) acetate exposure (N=7 per group) where we found, in the prefrontal cortex, a significant increase in CNR1 expression and a consistent reduction in DNA methylation at specific CpG sites of gene promoter. Overall, our findings suggest a selective dysregulation of ECS in psychosis, and highlight the evaluation of CNR1 DNA methylation levels in PBMCs as a potential biomarker for schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio D'Addario
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Italy; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Vincenzo Micale
- CEITEC/Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Martina Di Bartolomeo
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Italy
| | - Tibor Stark
- Masaryk University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Mariangela Pucci
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Italy
| | | | - Mariacarlotta Palazzo
- Centro Sant'Ambrogio, Ordine Ospedaliero San Giovanni di Dio-Fatebenefratelli, Cernusco sul Naviglio, Italy
| | - Zuzana Babinska
- Masaryk University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Laura Cremaschi
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy
| | - Filippo Drago
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - A Carlo Altamura
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy
| | - Mauro Maccarrone
- Department of Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Rome, Italy; European Center for Brain Research, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Bernardo Dell'Osso
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Bipolar Disorders Clinic, Stanford University, CA, USA.
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Miyata S, Kurachi M, Sakurai N, Yanagawa Y, Ishizaki Y, Mikuni M, Fukuda M. Gene expression alterations in the medial prefrontal cortex and blood cells in a mouse model of depression during menopause. Heliyon 2016; 2:e00219. [PMID: 28054037 PMCID: PMC5198744 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2016.e00222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2016] [Revised: 11/30/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Aims The prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD) is higher in women than in men, and this may be due to the decline in estrogen levels that occurs during the menopausal transition. We studied the biological alterations in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), which is a region that is highly implicated in the neurobiology of MDD, and the blood cells (BCs) of ovariectomized (OVX) mice subjected to chronic mild stress (CMS), which represents a mouse model of depression during menopause. Main methods The mPFC and the BCs were obtained from the same individuals. Gene expression levels were analyzed by microarray. The data were used for the Ingenuity Pathway Analysis and the Gene Ontology analysis. Key findings The gene expression alterations (GEAs) induced by OVX were mainly associated with ribosomal and mitochondrial functions in both the mPFC and the BCs. Rapamycin-insensitive companion of mTOR (RICTOR) was identified as a possible upstream regulator of the OVX-induced GEAs in both tissues. The CMS-induced GEAs were associated with retinoic acid receptor signaling, inflammatory cytokines and post-synaptic density in the mPFC, but not in the BCs. Significance OVX and CMS independently affect biological pathways in the mPFC, which is involved in the development of the depression-like phenotype. Because a subset of the OVX-induced GEAs in the mPFC also occurred in the BCs, the GEAs in the BCs might be a useful probe to predict biological pathways in the corresponding brain tissue under specific conditions such as OVX in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shigeo Miyata
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan; Department of Genetic and Behavioral Neuroscience, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Masashi Kurachi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Noriko Sakurai
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Yuchio Yanagawa
- Department of Genetic and Behavioral Neuroscience, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Yasuki Ishizaki
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Masahiko Mikuni
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Masato Fukuda
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
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Bosker FJ, Terpstra P, Gladkevich AV, Janneke Dijck-Brouwer DA, te Meerman G, Nolen WA, Schoevers RA, Meesters Y. Changes in winter depression phenotype correlate with white blood cell gene expression profiles: a combined metagene and gene ontology approach. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2015; 58:8-14. [PMID: 25455571 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2014.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2014] [Revised: 10/27/2014] [Accepted: 10/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In the present study we evaluate the feasibility of gene expression in white blood cells as a peripheral marker for winter depression. Sixteen patients with winter type seasonal affective disorder were included in the study. Blood was taken by venous puncture at three time points; in winter prior and following bright light therapy and in summer. RNA was isolated, converted into cRNA, amplified and hybridized on Illumina® gene expression arrays. The raw optical array data were quantile normalized and thereafter analyzed using a metagene approach, based on previously published Affymetrix gene array data. The raw data were also subjected to a secondary analysis focusing on circadian genes and genes involved in serotonergic neurotransmission. Differences between the conditions were analyzed, using analysis of variance on the principal components of the metagene score matrix. After correction for multiple testing no statistically significant differences were found. Another approach uses the correlation between metagene factor weights and the actual expression values, averaged over conditions. When comparing the correlations of winter vs. summer and bright light therapy vs. summer significant changes for several metagenes were found. Subsequent gene ontology analyses (DAVID and GeneTrail) of 5 major metagenes suggest an interaction between brain and white blood cells. The hypothesis driven analysis with a smaller group of genes failed to demonstrate any significant effects. The results from the combined metagene and gene ontology analyses support the idea of communication between brain and white blood cells. Future studies will need a much larger sample size to obtain information at the level of single genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fokko J Bosker
- University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, University Centre for Psychiatry, the Netherlands.
| | - Peter Terpstra
- University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Department of Epidemiology, the Netherlands
| | - Anatoliy V Gladkevich
- University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, University Centre for Psychiatry, the Netherlands
| | | | - Gerard te Meerman
- University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Department of Genetics, the Netherlands; Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, USA
| | - Willem A Nolen
- University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, University Centre for Psychiatry, the Netherlands
| | - Robert A Schoevers
- University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, University Centre for Psychiatry, the Netherlands
| | - Ybe Meesters
- University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, University Centre for Psychiatry, the Netherlands
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Tylee DS, Kawaguchi DM, Glatt SJ. On the outside, looking in: a review and evaluation of the comparability of blood and brain "-omes". Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2013; 162B:595-603. [PMID: 24132893 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 178] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2013] [Accepted: 02/26/2013] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
In this article, we review studies detailing the correspondence between peripheral blood and brain tissue across various domains of high-throughput -omic analysis in order to provide a context for evaluating blood-based biomarker studies. Specifically, we reviewed seven studies comparing patterns of DNA methylation (i.e., an aspect of the epigenome), eight articles comparing patterns of gene expression (i.e., the transcriptome), and three articles comparing patterns of protein expression (i.e., the proteome). Our review of the epigenomic literature suggests that CpG-island methylation levels are generally highly correlated (r = 0.90) between blood and brain. Our review of transcriptomic studies suggests that between 35% and 80% of known transcripts are present in both brain and blood tissue samples; estimates of cross-tissue correlation in expression levels were found to range from 0.25 to 0.64, with stronger correlations observed among particular subsets of genes. Relative to the epigenome and transcriptome, the proteome has not been as fully compared between brain and blood samples, highlighting an important area for future work as whole-proteome profiling methods mature. Beyond reviewing the relevant studies, we discuss some of the assumptions, methodological issues, and gaps in knowledge that should be addressed in order to better understand how the multiple "-omes" of the brain are reflected in the peripheral blood. A better understanding of these relationships is a critical precursor to the validation of biomarkers for brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel S Tylee
- Psychiatric Genetic Epidemiology & Neurobiology Laboratory (PsychGENe Lab), Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences & Neuroscience and Physiology, Medical Genetics Research Center, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
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