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He XY, Huang ZH, Wang F, Chen ZL, Wang SB, Jia FJ, Hou CL. Gene Polymorphisms and Expression of NRG1, DAOA, and DISC1 Genes in a Chinese Han Population with an Ultra-High Risk for Psychosis. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2023; 19:2521-2533. [PMID: 38029052 PMCID: PMC10667082 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s434856] [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: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Although there is previous evidence supporting that ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis transformation is associated with NRG1, DAOA, and DISC1 genes, there have been no relevant studies in the Chinese population. The objective of the current study was to explore the gene polymorphism and expression of NRG1, DAOA, and DISC1 genes in a Han population with UHR for psychosis in China. Methods Eighteen UHR individuals, 61 first-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia (FDR), 55 first-episode psychosis individuals (FEP), and 61 healthy controls (HC) were enrolled in the study. The genotypes at four loci of the NRG1 gene, four loci of the DAOA gene, and two loci of the DISC1 gene were tested for all subjects, and mRNAs of NRG1 and DISC1 were examined and analyzed in a pairwise comparison among the four groups. Statistical analysis of genetics was performed using snpStats software. For the case-control association analysis, a single site association study, epistatic effect analysis, and haplotype analysis were used to explore the association of the above genes. Results This study found that rs3918341 in the DAOA gene was associated with susceptibility to UHR by single site association analysis. Epistatic effect analysis results showed that the NRG1 gene interacted with the DAOA gene and DISC1 gene in the susceptibility to UHR. Haplotype association analysis showed that all haplotypes were not significantly associated with UHR. NRG1 mRNA was significantly downregulated in the UHR group compared with the HC group as well as the FEP group. Conclusion Our preliminary results show that NRG1, DAOA, and DISC1 genes may play a role in psychosis onset, opening the way to the identification of prognostic biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Yan He
- Psychological Department, Guangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Psychiatric Rehabilitation Section, The Affiliated Mental Health Center of Jiangnan University, Wuxi Central Rehabilitation Hospital, Wuxi Central Rehabilitation Hospital, Wuxi, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhuo-Hui Huang
- Psychological Department, Guangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fei Wang
- Psychological Department, Guangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zi-Lang Chen
- Psychiatry Department, Luoding Mental Health Center, Yunfu, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shi-Bin Wang
- Psychological Department, Guangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fu-Jun Jia
- Psychological Department, Guangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Cai-Lan Hou
- Psychological Department, Guangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
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Genetic recovery of ErbB4 in adulthood partially restores brain functions in null mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:13105-13110. [PMID: 30498032 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1811287115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurotrophic factor NRG1 and its receptor ErbB4 play a role in GABAergic circuit assembly during development. ErbB4 null mice possess fewer interneurons, have decreased GABA release, and show impaired behavior in various paradigms. In addition, NRG1 and ErbB4 have also been implicated in regulating GABAergic transmission and plasticity in matured brains. However, current ErbB4 mutant strains are unable to determine whether phenotypes in adult mutant mice result from abnormal neural development. This important question, a glaring gap in understanding NRG1-ErbB4 function, was addressed by using two strains of mice with temporal control of ErbB4 deletion and expression, respectively. We found that ErbB4 deletion in adult mice impaired behavior and GABA release but had no effect on neuron numbers and morphology. On the other hand, some deficits due to the ErbB4 null mutation during development were alleviated by restoring ErbB4 expression at the adult stage. Together, our results indicate a critical role of NRG1-ErbB4 signaling in GABAergic transmission and behavior in adulthood and suggest that restoring NRG1-ErbB4 signaling at the postdevelopmental stage might benefit relevant brain disorders.
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Gene polymorphisms and response to transcranial direct current stimulation for auditory verbal hallucinations in schizophrenia. Acta Neuropsychiatr 2018; 30:218-225. [PMID: 29559020 DOI: 10.1017/neu.2018.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Recent observations demonstrate a significant ameliorative effect of add-on transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs) in schizophrenia. Of the many SNPs, NRG1 rs35753505 and catechol-o-methyl transferase (COMT) rs4680 polymorphisms have shown to have a strong association with neuroplasticity effect in schizophrenia. METHODS Schizophrenia patients (n=32) with treatment resistant auditory hallucinations were administered with an add-on tDCS. The COMT (rs4680) and NRG1 (rs35753505) genotypes were determined. The COMT genotypes were categorised into Val group (GG; n=15) and Met group (GG/AG; n=17) and NRG1 genotypes were categorised into AA group (n=12) and AG/GG group (n=20). RESULTS The reduction in auditory hallucination sub-scale score was significantly affected by COMT-GG genotype [Time×COMT interaction: F(1,28)=10.55, p=0.003, ɳ2=0.27]. Further, COMT-GG effect was epistatically influenced by the co-occurrence of NRG1-AA genotype [Time×COMT×NRG1 interaction: F(1,28)=8.09, p=0.008, ɳ2=0.22]. Irrespective of genotype, females showed better tDCS response than males [Time×Sex interaction: F(1,21)=4.67, p=0.04, ɳ2=0.18]. CONCLUSION COMT-GG and NRG1-AA genotypes aid the tDCS-induced improvement in AVHs in schizophrenia patients. Our preliminary observations need replication and further systematic research to understand the neuroplastic gene determinants that modulate the effect of tDCS.
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O’Tuathaigh CMP, Mathur N, O’Callaghan MJ, MacIntyre L, Harvey R, Lai D, Waddington JL, Pickard BS, Watson DG, Moran PM. Specialized Information Processing Deficits and Distinct Metabolomic Profiles Following TM-Domain Disruption of Nrg1. Schizophr Bull 2017; 43:1100-1113. [PMID: 28338897 PMCID: PMC5581893 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbw189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Although there is considerable genetic and pathologic evidence for an association between neuregulin 1 (NRG1) dysregulation and schizophrenia, the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms remain unclear. Mutant mice containing disruption of the transmembrane (TM) domain of the NRG1 gene constitute a heuristic model for dysregulation of NRG1-ErbB4 signaling in schizophrenia. The present study focused on hitherto uncharacterized information processing phenotypes in this mutant line. Using a mass spectrometry-based metabolomics approach, we also quantified levels of unique metabolites in brain. Across 2 different sites and protocols, Nrg1 mutants demonstrated deficits in prepulse inhibition, a measure of sensorimotor gating, that is, disrupted in schizophrenia; these deficits were partially reversed by acute treatment with second, but not first-, generation antipsychotic drugs. However, Nrg1 mutants did not show a specific deficit in latent inhibition, a measure of selective attention that is also disrupted in schizophrenia. In contrast, in a "what-where-when" object recognition memory task, Nrg1 mutants displayed sex-specific (males only) disruption of "what-when" performance, indicative of impaired temporal aspects of episodic memory. Differential metabolomic profiling revealed that these behavioral phenotypes were accompanied, most prominently, by alterations in lipid metabolism pathways. This study is the first to associate these novel physiological mechanisms, previously independently identified as being abnormal in schizophrenia, with disruption of NRG1 function. These data suggest novel mechanisms by which compromised neuregulin function from birth might lead to schizophrenia-relevant behavioral changes in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Naina Mathur
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | | | - Lynsey MacIntyre
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
| | - Richard Harvey
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, Australia
| | - Donna Lai
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, Australia
| | - John L Waddington
- Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Translational Research & Therapy for Neuro-Psychiatric-Disorders and Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Benjamin S Pickard
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
| | - David G Watson
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
| | - Paula M Moran
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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O'Tuathaigh CMP, Moran PM, Zhen XC, Waddington JL. Translating advances in the molecular basis of schizophrenia into novel cognitive treatment strategies. Br J Pharmacol 2017; 174:3173-3190. [PMID: 28667666 DOI: 10.1111/bph.13938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Revised: 06/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The presence and severity of cognitive symptoms, including working memory, executive dysfunction and attentional impairment, contributes materially to functional impairment in schizophrenia. Cognitive symptoms have proved to be resistant to both first- and second-generation antipsychotic drugs. Efforts to develop a consensus set of cognitive domains that are both disrupted in schizophrenia and are amenable to cross-species validation (e.g. the National Institute of Mental Health Cognitive Neuroscience Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia and Research Domain Criteria initiatives) are an important step towards standardization of outcome measures that can be used in preclinical testing of new drugs. While causative genetic mutations have not been identified, new technologies have identified novel genes as well as hitherto candidate genes previously implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and/or mechanisms of antipsychotic efficacy. This review comprises a selective summary of these developments, particularly phenotypic data arising from preclinical genetic models for cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia, with the aim of indicating potential new directions for pro-cognitive therapeutics. Linked Articles This article is part of a themed section on Pharmacology of Cognition: a Panacea for Neuropsychiatric Disease? To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v174.19/issuetoc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colm M P O'Tuathaigh
- School of Medicine, University College Cork, Brookfield Health Sciences Complex, Cork, Ireland
| | - Paula M Moran
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Xuechu C Zhen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Translational Research & Therapy for Neuropsychiatric Disorders and Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - John L Waddington
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Translational Research & Therapy for Neuropsychiatric Disorders and Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.,Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2, Ireland
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Mostaid MS, Mancuso SG, Liu C, Sundram S, Pantelis C, Everall IP, Bousman CA. Meta-analysis reveals associations between genetic variation in the 5' and 3' regions of Neuregulin-1 and schizophrenia. Transl Psychiatry 2017; 7:e1004. [PMID: 28094814 PMCID: PMC5545738 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2016.279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2016] [Accepted: 11/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic, post-mortem and neuroimaging studies repeatedly implicate neuregulin-1 (NRG1) as a critical component in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Although a number of risk haplotypes along with several genetic polymorphisms in the 5' and 3' regions of NRG1 have been linked with schizophrenia, results have been mixed. To reconcile these conflicting findings, we conducted a meta-analysis examining 22 polymorphisms and two haplotypes in NRG1 among 16 720 cases, 20 449 controls and 2157 family trios. We found significant associations for three polymorphisms (rs62510682, rs35753505 and 478B14-848) at the 5'-end and two (rs2954041 and rs10503929) near the 3'-end of NRG1. Population stratification effects were found for the rs35753505 and 478B14-848(4) polymorphisms. There was evidence of heterogeneity for all significant markers and the findings were robust to publication bias. No significant haplotype associations were found. Our results suggest genetic variation at the 5' and 3' ends of NRG1 are associated with schizophrenia and provide renewed justification for further investigation of NRG1's role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S Mostaid
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Carlton South, VIC, Australia
| | - S G Mancuso
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Carlton South, VIC, Australia
| | - C Liu
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Carlton South, VIC, Australia
| | - S Sundram
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- NorthWestern Mental Health, Melbourne Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University and Monash Health, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - C Pantelis
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Carlton South, VIC, Australia
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- NorthWestern Mental Health, Melbourne Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Centre for Neural Engineering (CfNE), Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - I P Everall
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Carlton South, VIC, Australia
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- NorthWestern Mental Health, Melbourne Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Centre for Neural Engineering (CfNE), Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - C A Bousman
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Carlton South, VIC, Australia
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of General Practice, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia
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Gene × Environment Interactions in Schizophrenia: Evidence from Genetic Mouse Models. Neural Plast 2016; 2016:2173748. [PMID: 27725886 PMCID: PMC5048038 DOI: 10.1155/2016/2173748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2016] [Revised: 07/20/2016] [Accepted: 08/21/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The study of gene × environment, as well as epistatic interactions in schizophrenia, has provided important insight into the complex etiopathologic basis of schizophrenia. It has also increased our understanding of the role of susceptibility genes in the disorder and is an important consideration as we seek to translate genetic advances into novel antipsychotic treatment targets. This review summarises data arising from research involving the modelling of gene × environment interactions in schizophrenia using preclinical genetic models. Evidence for synergistic effects on the expression of schizophrenia-relevant endophenotypes will be discussed. It is proposed that valid and multifactorial preclinical models are important tools for identifying critical areas, as well as underlying mechanisms, of convergence of genetic and environmental risk factors, and their interaction in schizophrenia.
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He BS, Zhang LY, Pan YQ, Lin K, Zhang LL, Sun HL, Gao TY, Su TQ, Wang SK, Zhu CB. Association of the DISC1 and NRG1 genetic polymorphisms with schizophrenia in a Chinese population. Gene 2016; 590:293-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2016.05.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2016] [Revised: 05/16/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Mostaid MS, Lloyd D, Liberg B, Sundram S, Pereira A, Pantelis C, Karl T, Weickert CS, Everall IP, Bousman CA. Neuregulin-1 and schizophrenia in the genome-wide association study era. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 68:387-409. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2016] [Revised: 05/30/2016] [Accepted: 06/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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O'Tuathaigh CMP, Desbonnet L, Moran PM, Kirby BP, Waddington JL. Molecular genetic models related to schizophrenia and psychotic illness: heuristics and challenges. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2016; 7:87-119. [PMID: 21298380 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2010_111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a heritable disorder that may involve several common genes of small effect and/or rare copy number variation, with phenotypic heterogeneity across patients. Furthermore, any boundaries vis-à-vis other psychotic disorders are far from clear. Consequently, identification of informative animal models for this disorder, which typically relate to pharmacological and putative pathophysiological processes of uncertain validity, faces considerable challenges. In juxtaposition, the majority of mutant models for schizophrenia relate to the functional roles of a diverse set of genes associated with risk for the disorder or with such putative pathophysiological processes. This chapter seeks to outline the evidence from phenotypic studies in mutant models related to schizophrenia. These have commonly assessed the degree to which mutation of a schizophrenia-related gene is associated with the expression of several aspects of the schizophrenia phenotype or more circumscribed, schizophrenia-related endophenotypes; typically, they place specific emphasis on positive and negative symptoms and cognitive deficits, and extend to structural and other pathological features. We first consider the primary technological approaches to the generation of such mutants, to include their relative merits and demerits, and then highlight the diverse phenotypic approaches that have been developed for their assessment. The chapter then considers the application of mutant phenotypes to study pathobiological and pharmacological mechanisms thought to be relevant for schizophrenia, particularly in terms of dopaminergic and glutamatergic dysfunction, and to an increasing range of candidate susceptibility genes and copy number variants. Finally, we discuss several pertinent issues and challenges within the field which relate to both phenotypic evaluation and a growing appreciation of the functional genomics of schizophrenia and the involvement of gene × environment interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colm M P O'Tuathaigh
- Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 123 St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, Ireland,
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Transcranial direct current stimulation and neuroplasticity genes: implications for psychiatric disorders. Acta Neuropsychiatr 2016; 28:1-10. [PMID: 25877668 DOI: 10.1017/neu.2015.20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive and well-tolerated brain stimulation technique with promising efficacy as an add-on treatment for schizophrenia and for several other psychiatric disorders. tDCS modulates neuroplasticity; psychiatric disorders are established to be associated with neuroplasticity abnormalities. This review presents the summary of research on potential genetic basis of neuroplasticity-modulation mechanism underlying tDCS and its implications for treating various psychiatric disorders. METHOD A systematic review highlighting the genes involved in neuroplasticity and their role in psychiatric disorders was carried out. The focus was on the established genetic findings of tDCS response relationship with BDNF and COMT gene polymorphisms. RESULT Synthesis of these preliminary observations suggests the potential influence of neuroplastic genes on tDCS treatment response. These include several animal models, pharmacological studies, mentally ill and healthy human subject trials. CONCLUSION Taking into account the rapidly unfolding understanding of tDCS and the role of synaptic plasticity disturbances in neuropsychiatric disorders, in-depth evaluation of the mechanism of action pertinent to neuroplasticity modulation with tDCS needs further systematic research. Genes such as NRG1, DISC1, as well as those linked with the glutamatergic receptor in the context of their direct role in the modulation of neuronal signalling related to neuroplasticity aberrations, are leading candidates for future research in this area. Such research studies might potentially unravel observations that might have potential translational implications in psychiatry.
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Farrell MS, Werge T, Sklar P, Owen MJ, Ophoff RA, O'Donovan MC, Corvin A, Cichon S, Sullivan PF. Evaluating historical candidate genes for schizophrenia. Mol Psychiatry 2015; 20:555-62. [PMID: 25754081 PMCID: PMC4414705 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2015.16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 206] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2014] [Revised: 11/14/2014] [Accepted: 01/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Prior to the genome-wide association era, candidate gene studies were a major approach in schizophrenia genetics. In this invited review, we consider the current status of 25 historical candidate genes for schizophrenia (for example, COMT, DISC1, DTNBP1 and NRG1). The initial study for 24 of these genes explicitly evaluated common variant hypotheses about schizophrenia. Our evaluation included a meta-analysis of the candidate gene literature, incorporation of the results of the largest genomic study yet published for schizophrenia, ratings from informed researchers who have published on these genes, and ratings from 24 schizophrenia geneticists. On the basis of current empirical evidence and mostly consensual assessments of informed opinion, it appears that the historical candidate gene literature did not yield clear insights into the genetic basis of schizophrenia. A likely reason why historical candidate gene studies did not achieve their primary aims is inadequate statistical power. However, the considerable efforts embodied in these early studies unquestionably set the stage for current successes in genomic approaches to schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S Farrell
- Center for Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Genetics, Genomic Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - T Werge
- 1] Institute of Biological Psychiatry, MHC Sct. Hans, Mental Health Services Copenhagen, Denmark [2] Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Aarhus, Denmark [3] The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - P Sklar
- 1] Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA [2] Institute for Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA [3] Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - M J Owen
- 1] MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK [2] National Centre for Mental Health, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - R A Ophoff
- 1] Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA [2] Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA [3] Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - M C O'Donovan
- 1] MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK [2] National Centre for Mental Health, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - A Corvin
- Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
| | - S Cichon
- 1] Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedicine, University Basel, Basel, Switzerland [2] Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany [3] Department of Genomics, Life and Brain Center, Bonn, Germany
| | - P F Sullivan
- 1] Center for Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Genetics, Genomic Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA [2] Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden [3] Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Wakuda T, Iwata K, Iwata Y, Anitha A, Takahashi T, Yamada K, Vasu MM, Matsuzaki H, Suzuki K, Mori N. Perinatal asphyxia alters neuregulin-1 and COMT gene expression in the medial prefrontal cortex in rats. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2015; 56:149-54. [PMID: 25194460 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2014.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2014] [Revised: 08/04/2014] [Accepted: 08/04/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Epidemiological studies suggest that perinatal complications, particularly hypoxia-related ones, increase the risk of schizophrenia. Recent genetic studies of the disorder have identified several putative susceptibility genes, some of which are known to be regulated by hypoxia. It can be postulated therefore that birth complications that cause hypoxia in the fetal brain may be associated with a dysregulation in the expression of some of the schizophrenia candidate genes. To test this, we used an animal model of perinatal asphyxia, in which rat pups were exposed to 15 min of intrauterine anoxia during Caesarean section birth, and examined the expression of mRNA of five of the putative susceptibility genes (NRG1, ErbB4, AKT1, COMT and BDNF) by real-time quantitative PCR in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the hippocampus at 6 and 12 weeks after birth. The expression of NRG1 mRNA was significantly decreased in the mPFC, but not in the hippocampus, at 6 and 12 weeks after birth. In addition, a significant increase in COMT mRNA expression was observed in the mPFC at 12 weeks. The alteration in mRNA levels of NRG1 and COMT was not associated with a change in their protein levels. These results suggest that perinatal asphyxia may lead to disturbances in the PFC, which in turn may exert a long-lasting influence on the expression of specific genes, such as NRG1 and COMT. Our results also suggest that translational interruption may occur in this model of perinatal asphyxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoyasu Wakuda
- Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
| | - Keiko Iwata
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji-cho, Japan
| | - Yasuhide Iwata
- Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
| | - Ayyappan Anitha
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Taro Takahashi
- Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
| | - Kohei Yamada
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
| | - Mahesh Mundalil Vasu
- Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan
| | - Hideo Matsuzaki
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji-cho, Japan
| | - Katsuaki Suzuki
- Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan.
| | - Norio Mori
- Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan; Research Center for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan
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Ma L, Wu DD, Ma SL, Tan L, Chen X, Tang NLS, Yao YG. Molecular evolution in the CREB1 signal pathway and a rare haplotype in CREB1 with genetic predisposition to schizophrenia. J Psychiatr Res 2014; 57:84-9. [PMID: 25043418 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2014.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2014] [Revised: 06/08/2014] [Accepted: 06/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
CREB1 is a cAMP responsive transcriptional factor which plays a key role in neural development. CREB1 signal pathway (CSP) has been implicated repeatedly in studies of predisposition for schizophrenia. We speculated that CSP has undergone positive selection during evolution of modern human and some genes that have undergone natural selection in the past may predispose to schizophrenia (SCZ) in modern time. Positive selection and association analysis were employed to explore the molecular evolution of CSP and association with schizophrenia. Our results showed a pan-ethnic selection event on NRG1 and CREB1, as confirmed in all 14 ethnic populations studied, which also suggested a selection process occurred before the "Out of Africa" scenario. Analysis of 62 SNPs covering 6 CSP genes in 2019 Han Chinese (976 SCZ patients and 1043 healthy individuals) showed an association of two SNPs (rs4379857, P = 0.009, OR [95% CI]: 1.200 [1.379-1.046]; rs2238751, P = 0.023, OR [95% CI]: 1.253 [1.522-1.032]) with SCZ. However, none of these significances survived after multiple testing corrections. Nonetheless, we observed an association of a rare CREB1 haplotype CCGGC (Bonferroni corrected P = 1.74 × 10(-5)) with SCZ. Our study showed that there was substantial population heterogeneity in genetic predisposition to SCZ, and different genes in the CSP pathway may predispose to SCZ in different populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Ma
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China; Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
| | - Dong-Dong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China
| | - Suk Ling Ma
- Department of Psychiatry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Liwen Tan
- Institute of Mental Health, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Xiaogang Chen
- Institute of Mental Health, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Nelson L S Tang
- KIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming, Yunnan, China; Department of Chemical Pathology and Laboratory of Genetics of Disease Susceptibility, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Functional Genomics and Biostatistical Computing Laboratory, Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Yong-Gang Yao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China; Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China; KIZ/CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
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15
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No Association Between NRG1 and ErbB4 Genes and Psychopathological Symptoms of Schizophrenia. Neuromolecular Med 2014; 16:742-51. [DOI: 10.1007/s12017-014-8323-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2014] [Accepted: 07/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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16
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O'Leary C, Desbonnet L, Clarke N, Petit E, Tighe O, Lai D, Harvey R, Waddington JL, O'Tuathaigh C. Phenotypic effects of maternal immune activation and early postnatal milieu in mice mutant for the schizophrenia risk gene neuregulin-1. Neuroscience 2014; 277:294-305. [PMID: 24969132 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.06.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2014] [Revised: 06/11/2014] [Accepted: 06/15/2014] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Risk of schizophrenia is likely to involve gene × environment (G × E) interactions. Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) is a schizophrenia risk gene, hence any interaction with environmental adversity, such as maternal infection, may provide further insights into the basis of the disease. This study examined the individual and combined effects of prenatal immune activation with polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidilic acid (Poly I:C) and disruption of the schizophrenia risk gene NRG1 on the expression of behavioral phenotypes related to schizophrenia. NRG1 heterozygous (NRG1 HET) mutant breeding pairs were time-mated. Pregnant dams received a single injection (5mg/kg i.p.) of Poly I:C or vehicle on gestation day 9 (GD9). Offspring were then cross-fostered to vehicle-treated or Poly I:C-treated dams. Expression of schizophrenia-related behavioral endophenotypes was assessed at adolescence and in adulthood. Combining NRG1 disruption and prenatal environmental insult (Poly I:C) caused developmental stage-specific deficits in social behavior, spatial working memory and prepulse inhibition (PPI). However, combining Poly I:C and cross-fostering produced a number of behavioral deficits in the open field, social behavior and PPI. This became more complex by combining NRG1 deletion with both Poly I:C exposure and cross-fostering, which had a robust effect on PPI. These findings suggest that concepts of G × E interaction in risk of schizophrenia should be elaborated to multiple interactions that involve individual genes interacting with diverse biological and psychosocial environmental factors over early life, to differentially influence particular domains of psychopathology, sometimes over specific stages of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- C O'Leary
- Molecular & Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - L Desbonnet
- Molecular & Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - N Clarke
- Molecular & Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - E Petit
- Molecular & Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - O Tighe
- Molecular & Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - D Lai
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, University of New South Wales, Darlinghurst, Australia
| | - R Harvey
- Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, University of New South Wales, Darlinghurst, Australia
| | - J L Waddington
- Molecular & Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - C O'Tuathaigh
- Molecular & Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; School of Medicine, Brookfield Health Sciences Complex, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
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17
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Ehrenreich H, Nave KA. Phenotype-Based Genetic Association Studies (PGAS)-Towards Understanding the Contribution of Common Genetic Variants to Schizophrenia Subphenotypes. Genes (Basel) 2014; 5:97-105. [PMID: 24705289 PMCID: PMC3978514 DOI: 10.3390/genes5010097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2014] [Revised: 02/17/2014] [Accepted: 02/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropsychiatric diseases ranging from schizophrenia to affective disorders and autism are heritable, highly complex and heterogeneous conditions, diagnosed purely clinically, with no supporting biomarkers or neuroimaging criteria. Relying on these "umbrella diagnoses", genetic analyses, including genome-wide association studies (GWAS), were undertaken but failed to provide insight into the biological basis of these disorders. "Risk genotypes" of unknown significance with low odds ratios of mostly <1.2 were extracted and confirmed by including ever increasing numbers of individuals in large multicenter efforts. Facing these results, we have to hypothesize that thousands of genetic constellations in highly variable combinations with environmental co-factors can cause the individual disorder in the sense of a final common pathway. This would explain why the prevalence of mental diseases is so high and why mutations, including copy number variations, with a higher effect size than SNPs, constitute only a small part of variance. Elucidating the contribution of normal genetic variation to (disease) phenotypes, and so re-defining disease entities, will be extremely labor-intense but crucial. We have termed this approach PGAS ("phenotype-based genetic association studies"). Ultimate goal is the definition of biological subgroups of mental diseases. For that purpose, the GRAS (Göttingen Research Association for Schizophrenia) data collection was initiated in 2005. With >3000 phenotypical data points per patient, it comprises the world-wide largest currently available schizophrenia database (N > 1200), combining genome-wide SNP coverage and deep phenotyping under highly standardized conditions. First PGAS results on normal genetic variants, relevant for e.g., cognition or catatonia, demonstrated proof-of-concept. Presently, an autistic subphenotype of schizophrenia is being defined where an unfortunate accumulation of normal genotypes, so-called pro-autistic variants of synaptic genes, explains part of the phenotypical variance. Deep phenotyping and comprehensive clinical data sets, however, are expensive and it may take years before PGAS will complement conventional GWAS approaches in psychiatric genetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannelore Ehrenreich
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hermann-Rein-Str.3, 37075 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Klaus-Armin Nave
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hermann-Rein-Str.3, 37075 Göttingen, Germany.
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18
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Bousman CA, Potiriadis M, Everall IP, Gunn JM. Effects of neuregulin-1 genetic variation and depression symptom severity on longitudinal patterns of psychotic symptoms in primary care attendees. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2014; 165B:62-7. [PMID: 24123921 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2013] [Accepted: 09/12/2013] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
A better understanding of the factors associated with psychotic symptoms could aid early identification and treatment of psychotic disorders. Previous studies have typically utilized cross-sectional study designs and have focused on individuals with psychotic disorders. Thus, examination of promising correlates of psychotic symptoms using longitudinal designs among more broadly defined populations is warranted. Two such correlates are neuregulin-1 (NRG1) genotypic variation and depression symptom severity. Both NRG1 and depression symptom severity have cross-sectional evidence for an association with psychosis but their affect on longitudinal patterns of psychotic symptoms and their potential interaction effects are less clear. Using repeated measures analysis of variance and covariance we modeled the main and interaction effects of NRG1 genotypic variation and depressive symptom severity on longitudinal psychotic symptom patterns in 301 primary care attendees assessed annually over 4 years. One-fifth (19.9%) of the participants reported one or more psychotic symptoms over the 4-year assessment period. We observed a curvilinear (i.e., cubic) association between depression symptom severity at baseline and longitudinal patterns of psychotic symptoms but did not observe a main effect for NRG1 genotypic variation on psychotic symptom patterns. However, NRG1 rs6994992 genotype moderated the curvilinear association between depression symptom severity and psychotic symptom patterns. Specifically, depression symptom severity had less of an effect on longitudinal psychotic symptoms among carriers of the rs6994992 TT genotype compared to CC and CT carriers. Our findings suggest a curvilinear association between depression symptom severity and longitudinal patterns of psychotic symptoms that is moderated by NRG1 genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- C A Bousman
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia; Department of General Practice, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia; Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorne, VIC, Australia; Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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Effects of NRG1 and DAOA genetic variation on transition to psychosis in individuals at ultra-high risk for psychosis. Transl Psychiatry 2013; 3:e251. [PMID: 23632455 PMCID: PMC3641410 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2013.23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Prospective studies have suggested genetic variation in the neuregulin 1 (NRG1) and D-amino-acid oxidase activator (DAOA) genes may assist in differentiating high-risk individuals who will or will not transition to psychosis. In a prospective cohort (follow-up=2.4-14.9 years) of 225 individuals at ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis, we assessed haplotype-tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (htSNPs) spanning NRG1 and DAOA for their association with transition to psychosis, using Cox regression analysis. Two NRG1 htSNPs (rs12155594 and rs4281084) predicted transition to psychosis. Carriers of the rs12155594 T/T or T/C genotype had a 2.34 (95% confidence interval (CI)=1.37-4.00) times greater risk of transition compared with C/C carriers. For every rs4281084 A-allele the risk of transition increased by 1.55 (95% CI=1.05-2.27). For every additional rs4281084-A and/or rs12155594-T allele carried the risk increased ∼1.5-fold, with 71.4% of those carrying a combination of 3 of these alleles transitioning to psychosis. None of the assessed DAOA htSNPs were associated with transition. Our findings suggest NRG1 genetic variation may improve our ability to identify UHR individuals at risk for transition to psychosis.
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20
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Kukshal P, Bhatia T, Bhagwat AM, Gur RE, Gur RC, Deshpande SN, Nimgaonkar VL, Thelma BK. Association study of neuregulin-1 gene polymorphisms in a North Indian schizophrenia sample. Schizophr Res 2013; 144:24-30. [PMID: 23360725 PMCID: PMC4040109 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2012.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2012] [Revised: 11/20/2012] [Accepted: 12/17/2012] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuregulin-1 (NRG1) gene polymorphisms have been proposed as risk factors for several common disorders. Associations with cognitive variation have also been tested. With regard to schizophrenia (SZ) risk, studies of Caucasian ancestry samples indicate associations more consistently than East Asian samples, suggesting heterogeneity. To exploit the differences in linkage disequilibrium (LD) structure across ethnic groups, we conducted a SZ case-control study (that included cognitive evaluations) in a sample from the north Indian population. METHODS NRG1 variants (n=35 SNPs, three microsatellite markers) were initially analyzed among cases (DSM IV criteria, n=1007) and controls (n=1019, drawn from two groups) who were drawn from the same geographical region in North India. Nominally significant associations with SZ were next analyzed in relation to neurocognitive measures estimated with a computerized neurocognitive battery in a subset of the sample (n=116 cases, n=170 controls). RESULTS Three variants and one microsatellite showed allelic association with SZ (rs35753505, rs4733263, rs6994992, and microsatellite 420M9-1395, p≤0.05 uncorrected for multiple comparisons). A six marker haplotype 221121 (rs35753505-rs6994992-rs1354336-rs10093107-rs3924999-rs11780123) showed (p=0.0004) association after Bonferroni corrections. Regression analyses with the neurocognitive measures showed nominal (uncorrected) associations with emotion processing and attention at rs35753505 and rs6994992, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Suggestive associations with SZ and SZ-related neurocognitive measures were detected with two SNPs from the NRG1 promoter region in a north Indian cohort. The functional role of the alleles merits further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prachi Kukshal
- Department of Genetics, University of Delhi South campus, Benito
Juarez Road, New Delhi – 110 021, India
- C.B. Patel Research Centre, Vile Parle (West), Mumbai, India
| | - Triptish Bhatia
- Department of Psychiatry, Dr. RML Hospital, New Delhi – 110
001, India
| | - A. M. Bhagwat
- C.B. Patel Research Centre, Vile Parle (West), Mumbai, India
| | - Raquel E. Gur
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuropsychiatry Section, University of
Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ruben C. Gur
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuropsychiatry Section, University of
Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Vishwajit L. Nimgaonkar
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Genetics, Western Psychiatric
Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Graduate
School of Public Health, 3811 O’Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - B. K. Thelma
- Department of Genetics, University of Delhi South campus, Benito
Juarez Road, New Delhi – 110 021, India
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21
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Agim ZS, Esendal M, Briollais L, Uyan O, Meschian M, Martinez LAM, Ding Y, Basak AN, Ozcelik H. Discovery, validation and characterization of Erbb4 and Nrg1 haplotypes using data from three genome-wide association studies of schizophrenia. PLoS One 2013; 8:e53042. [PMID: 23301017 PMCID: PMC3536812 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0053042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2011] [Accepted: 11/23/2012] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is one of the most common and complex neuropsychiatric disorders, which is contributed both by genetic and environmental exposures. Recently, it is shown that NRG1-mediated ErbB4 signalling regulates many important cellular and molecular processes such as cellular growth, differentiation and death, particularly in myelin-producing cells, glia and neurons. Recent association studies have revealed genomic regions of NRG1 and ERBB4, which are significantly associated with risk of developing schizophrenia; however, inconsistencies exist in terms of validation of findings between distinct populations. In this study, we aim to validate the previously identified regions and to discover novel haplotypes of NRG1 and ERBB4 using logistic regression models and Haploview analyses in three independent datasets from GWAS conducted on European subjects, namely, CATIE, GAIN and nonGAIN. We identified a significant 6-kb block in ERBB4 between chromosome locations 212,156,823 and 212,162,848 in CATIE and GAIN datasets (p = 0.0206 and 0.0095, respectively). In NRG1, a significant 25-kb block, between 32,291,552 and 32,317,192, was associated with risk of schizophrenia in all CATIE, GAIN, and nonGAIN datasets (p = 0.0005, 0.0589, and 0.0143, respectively). Fine mapping and FastSNP analysis of genetic variation located within significantly associated regions proved the presence of binding sites for several transcription factors such as SRY, SOX5, CEPB, and ETS1. In this study, we have discovered and validated haplotypes of ERBB4 and NRG1 in three independent European populations. These findings suggest that these haplotypes play an important role in the development of schizophrenia by affecting transcription factor binding affinity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeynep Sena Agim
- Neurodegeneration Research Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Melda Esendal
- Fred A. Litwin Centre for Cancer Genetics, Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Laurent Briollais
- Prosserman Centre for Health Research, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ozgun Uyan
- Neurodegeneration Research Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Mehran Meschian
- Fred A. Litwin Centre for Cancer Genetics, Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Luis Antonio Mendoza Martinez
- Fred A. Litwin Centre for Cancer Genetics, Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Yongmei Ding
- Fred A. Litwin Centre for Cancer Genetics, Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - A. Nazli Basak
- Neurodegeneration Research Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Hilmi Ozcelik
- Fred A. Litwin Centre for Cancer Genetics, Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
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22
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Cacabelos R, Cacabelos P, Aliev G. Genomics of schizophrenia and pharmacogenomics of antipsychotic drugs. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.4236/ojpsych.2013.31008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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23
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Schizophrenia. Transl Neurosci 2012. [DOI: 10.1017/cbo9780511980053.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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Kang C, Yang X, Xu X, Liu H, Su P, Yang J. Association study of neuregulin 1 gene polymorphisms with auditory P300 in schizophrenia. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2012; 159B:422-8. [PMID: 22467496 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2011] [Accepted: 03/01/2012] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Neuregulin 1 (NRG1), a gene involved with myelin production has been shown to have a positive correlation with schizophrenia. Event-related potentials (ERPs) studies provide the evidence of disturbed electrophysiologic marker in schizophrenia. The present study investigated the association of NRG1 genotypes with P300 in schizophrenia. Three polymorphisms in NRG1 gene were detected in 287 Chinese Han schizophrenics and 120 healthy control subjects. Among the total sample, 140 patients and 96 controls underwent P300. There were no significant differences for genotype distributions and allele frequencies between schizophrenic group and the control. A significant difference was observed between the schizophrenic patients and controls in the AT haplotype, with Odds Ratio 0.304 (P = 0.000882, 95% CI = 0.145-0.636). P300 amplitude in the schizophrenic group was significantly lower than that of the controls at Fz, Cz, Pz. P300 latency in the schizophrenic group was also significantly longer than that of the controls at Cz, Pz, Fz. Significant differences of P300 latency between three genotypes of rs3924999 were found at Cz and Pz both in schizophrenic group and the controls. The G/G carriers of rs3924999 tended to perform worse in the P300 latency as compared to A/A or A/G carriers both in the schizophrenia and controls. There were no significant differences for P300 latency and amplitude between schizophrenic group and controls for AT haplotype. NRG1 gene is a susceptible gene for Chinese Han schizophrenia and AT haplotype might have the protective role in the schizophrenia. Rs3924999 in NRG1 gene might functionally impact cognitive processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- ChuanYuan Kang
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical College, Kunming, China
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Abstract
Schizophrenia (SCZ) is among the most disabling of mental disorders. Several neurobiological hypotheses have been postulated as responsible for SCZ pathogenesis: polygenic/multifactorial genomic defects, intrauterine and perinatal environment-genome interactions, neurodevelopmental defects, dopaminergic, cholinergic, serotonergic, gamma-aminobutiric acid (GABAergic), neuropeptidergic and glutamatergic/N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) dysfunctions, seasonal infection, neuroimmune dysfunction, and epigenetic dysregulation. SCZ has a heritability estimated at 60-90%. Genetic studies in SCZ have revealed the presence of chromosome anomalies, copy number variants, multiple single-nucleotide polymorphisms of susceptibility distributed across the human genome, aberrant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in microRNA genes, mitochondrial DNA mutations, and epigenetic phenomena. Pharmacogenetic studies of psychotropic drug response have focused on determining the relationship between variation in specific candidate genes and the positive and adverse effects of drug treatment. Approximately, 18% of neuroleptics are major substrates of CYP1A2 enzymes, 40% of CYP2D6, and 23% of CYP3A4; 24% of antidepressants are major substrates of CYP1A2 enzymes, 5% of CYP2B6, 38% of CYP2C19, 85% of CYP2D6, and 38% of CYP3A4; 7% of benzodiazepines are major substrates of CYP2C19 enzymes, 20% of CYP2D6, and 95% of CYP3A4. About 10-20% of Western populations are defective in genes of the CYP superfamily. Only 26% of Southern Europeans are pure extensive metabolizers for the trigenic cluster integrated by the CYP2D6+CYP2C19+CYP2C9 genes. The pharmacogenomic response of SCZ patients to conventional psychotropic drugs also depends on genetic variants associated with SCZ-related genes. Consequently, the incorporation of pharmacogenomic procedures both to drugs in development and drugs on the market would help to optimize therapeutics in SCZ and other central nervous system (CNS) disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramón Cacabelos
- EuroEspes Biomedical Research Center, 15165-Bergondo, Coruña, Spain.
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26
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Song RR, Zou L, Zhong R, Zheng XW, Zhu BB, Chen W, Liu L, Miao XP. An integrated meta-analysis of two variants in HOXA1/HOXB1 and their effect on the risk of autism spectrum disorders. PLoS One 2011; 6:e25603. [PMID: 21980499 PMCID: PMC3183057 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0025603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2011] [Accepted: 09/07/2011] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background HOXA1 and HOXB1 have been strongly posed as candidate genes for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) given their important role in the development of hindbrain. The A218G (rs10951154) in HOXA1 and the insertion variant in HOXB1 (nINS/INS, rs72338773) were of special interest for ASD but with inconclusive results. Thus, we conducted a meta-analysis integrating case-control and transmission/disequilibrium test (TDT) studies to clearly discern the effect of these two variants in ASD. Methods and Findings Multiple electronic databases were searched to identify studies assessing the A218G and/or nINS/INS variant in ASD. Data from case-control and TDT studies were analyzed in an allelic model using the Catmap software. A total of 10 and 7 reports were found to be eligible for meta-analyses of A218G and nINS/INS variant, respectively. In overall meta-analysis, the pooled OR for the 218G allele and the INS allele was 0.97 (95% CI = 0.76-1.25, Pheterogeneity = 0.029) and 1.14 (95% CI = 0.97-1.33, Pheterogeneity = 0.269), respectively. No significant association was also identified between these two variants and ASD risk in stratified analysis. Further, cumulative meta-analysis in chronologic order showed the inclination toward null-significant association for both variants with continual adding studies. Additionally, although the between-study heterogeneity regarding the A218G is not explained by study design, ethnicity, and sample size, the sensitive analysis indicated the stability of the result. Conclusions This meta-analysis suggests the HOXA1 A218G and HOXB1 nINS/INS variants may not contribute significantly to ASD risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran-Ran Song
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huangzhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Li Zou
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Rong Zhong
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xia-Wen Zheng
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Bei-Bei Zhu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Li Liu
- Guangdong Key Lab of Molecular Epidemiology and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
- * E-mail: (XM); (LL)
| | - Xiao-Ping Miao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- * E-mail: (XM); (LL)
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27
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Lazar NL, Neufeld RWJ, Cain DP. Contribution of nonprimate animal models in understanding the etiology of schizophrenia. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2011; 36:E5-29. [PMID: 21247514 PMCID: PMC3120891 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.100054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric disorder that is characterized by positive and negative symptoms and cognitive impairments. The etiology of the disorder is complex, and it is thought to follow a multifactorial threshold model of inheritance with genetic and neurodevelop mental contributions to risk. Human studies are particularly useful in capturing the richness of the phenotype, but they are often limited to the use of correlational approaches. By assessing behavioural abnormalities in both humans and rodents, nonprimate animal models of schizophrenia provide unique insight into the etiology and mechanisms of the disorder. This review discusses the phenomenology and etiology of schizophrenia and the contribution of current nonprimate animal models with an emphasis on how research with models of neuro transmitter dysregulation, environmental risk factors, neurodevelopmental disruption and genetic risk factors can complement the literature on schizophrenia in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah L Lazar
- Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.
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Shaikh M, Hall MH, Schulze K, Dutt A, Walshe M, Williams I, Constante M, Picchioni M, Toulopoulou T, Collier D, Rijsdijk F, Powell J, Arranz M, Murray RM, Bramon E. Do COMT, BDNF and NRG1 polymorphisms influence P50 sensory gating in psychosis? Psychol Med 2011; 41:263-276. [PMID: 20102668 DOI: 10.1017/s003329170999239x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Auditory P50 sensory gating deficits correlate with genetic risk for schizophrenia and constitute a plausible endophenotype for the disease. The well-supported role of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neuregulin 1 (NRG1) genes in neurodevelopment and cognition make a strong theoretical case for their influence on the P50 endophenotype. METHOD The possible role of NRG1, COMT Val158Met and BDNF Val66Met gene polymorphisms on the P50 endophenotype was examined in a large sample consisting of psychotic patients, their unaffected relatives and unrelated healthy controls using linear regression analyses. RESULTS Although P50 deficits were present in patients and their unaffected relatives, there was no evidence for an association between NRG1, COMT Val158Met or BDNF Val66Met genotypes and the P50 endophenotype. CONCLUSIONS The evidence from our large study suggests that any such association between P50 indices and NRG1, COMT Val158Met or BDNF Val66Met genotypes, if present, must be very subtle.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Shaikh
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London/South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
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Regulation of Orofacial Movement: Amino Acid Mechanisms and Mutant Models. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-385198-7.00003-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
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30
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Balu DT, Coyle JT. Neuroplasticity signaling pathways linked to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2011; 35:848-70. [PMID: 20951727 PMCID: PMC3005823 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2010.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2010] [Revised: 10/06/2010] [Accepted: 10/10/2010] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that afflicts nearly 1% of the world's population. One of the cardinal pathological features of schizophrenia is perturbation in synaptic connectivity. Although the etiology of schizophrenia is unknown, it appears to be a developmental disorder involving the interaction of a potentially large number of risk genes, with no one gene producing a strong effect except rare, highly penetrant copy number variants. The purpose of this review is to detail how putative schizophrenia risk genes (DISC-1, neuregulin/ErbB4, dysbindin, Akt1, BDNF, and the NMDA receptor) are involved in regulating neuroplasticity and how alterations in their expression may contribute to the disconnectivity observed in schizophrenia. Moreover, this review highlights how many of these risk genes converge to regulate common neurotransmitter systems and signaling pathways. Future studies aimed at elucidating the functions of these risk genes will provide new insights into the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and will likely lead to the nomination of novel therapeutic targets for restoring proper synaptic connectivity in the brain in schizophrenia and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darrick T Balu
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA.
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Genetic findings in schizophrenia patients related to alterations in the intracellular Ca-homeostasis. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2010; 34:1375-80. [PMID: 20600464 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2010.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2010] [Revised: 06/17/2010] [Accepted: 06/18/2010] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
There is a relatively high genetic heritability of schizophrenia as shown by family, twin and adoption studies. A large number of hypotheses on the causes of schizophrenia occurred over time. In this review we focus on genetic findings related to potential alterations of intracellular Ca-homeostasis in association with schizophrenia. First, we provide evidence for the NMDA/glutamatergic theory of schizophrenia including calcium processes. We mainly focus on genes including: DAO (D-amino acid oxidase), DAOA (D-amino acid oxidase activator), DTNBP1 (Dysbindin 1, dystrobrevin-binding protein 1), NRG1 (Neuregulin 1), ERBB4 (v-erb-a erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog 4, avian), NOS1 (nitric oxide synthase 1, neuronal) and NRGN (Neurogranin). Furthermore, a gene coding for a calcium channel subunit (CACNA1C: calcium channel, voltage-dependent, L type, alpha 1C subunit) is discussed in the light of schizophrenia whereas genetic findings related to alterations in the intracellular Ca-homeostasis associated specifically with dopaminergic and serotonergic neurotransmission in schizophrenia are not herein closer reviewed. Taken together there is converging evidence for the contribution of genes potentially related to alterations in intracellular Ca-homeostasis to the risk of schizophrenia. Replications and functional studies will hopefully provide further insight into these genetic variants and the underlying processes.
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Buonanno A. The neuregulin signaling pathway and schizophrenia: from genes to synapses and neural circuits. Brain Res Bull 2010; 83:122-31. [PMID: 20688137 PMCID: PMC2958213 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2010.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2010] [Revised: 07/14/2010] [Accepted: 07/20/2010] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Numerous genetic linkage and association studies implicate members of the Neuregulin-ErbB receptor (NRG-ErbB) signaling pathway as schizophrenia "at risk" genes. An emphasis of this review is to propose plausible neurobiological mechanisms, regulated by the Neuregulin-ErbB signaling network, that may be altered in schizophrenia and contribute to its etiology. To this end, the distinct neurotransmitter pathways, neuronal subtypes and neural network systems altered in schizophrenia are initially discussed. Next, the review focuses on the possible significance of genetic studies associating NRG1 and ErbB4 with schizophrenia, in light of the functional role of this signaling pathway in regulating glutamatergic, GABAergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission, as well as modulating synaptic plasticity and gamma oscillations. The importance of restricted ErbB4 receptor expression in GABAergic interneurons is emphasized, particularly their expression at glutamatergic synapses of parvalbumin-positive fast-spiking interneurons where modulation of inhibitory drive could account for the dramatic effects of NRG-ErbB signaling on gamma oscillations and pyramidal neuron output. A case is made for reasons that the NRG-ErbB signaling pathway constitutes a "biologically plausible" system for understanding the pathogenic mechanisms that may underlie the complex array of positive, negative and cognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Buonanno
- National Institutes of Health, Eunice Shriver Kennedy NICHD, Section on Molecular Neurobiology, Program of Developmental Neurobiology, 35 Lincoln Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892-3714, USA.
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Walsh J, Tighe O, Lai D, Harvey R, Karayiorgou M, Gogos J, Waddington J, O'Tuathaigh C. Disruption of thermal nociceptive behaviour in mice mutant for the schizophrenia-associated genes NRG1, COMT and DISC1. Brain Res 2010; 1348:114-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2010.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2010] [Revised: 06/06/2010] [Accepted: 06/09/2010] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Watanabe Y, Someya T, Nawa H. Cytokine hypothesis of schizophrenia pathogenesis: evidence from human studies and animal models. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2010; 64:217-30. [PMID: 20602722 DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1819.2010.02094.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The pathogenesis of schizophrenia has yet to be fully characterized. Gene-environment interactions have been found to play a crucial role in the vulnerability to this disease. Among various environmental factors, inflammatory immune processes have been most clearly implicated in the etiology and pathology of schizophrenia. Cytokines, regulators of immune/inflammatory reactions and brain development, emerge as part of a common pathway of genetic and environmental components of schizophrenia. Maternal infection, obstetric complications, neonatal hypoxia and brain injury all recruit cytokines to mediate inflammatory processes. Abnormal expression levels of specific cytokines such as epidermal growth factor, interleukins (IL) and neuregulin-1 are found both in the brain and peripheral blood of patients with schizophrenia. Accordingly, cytokines have been proposed to transmit peripheral immune/inflammatory signals to immature brain tissue through the developing blood-brain barrier, perturbing structural and phenotypic development of the brain. This cytokine hypothesis of schizophrenia is also supported by modeling experiments in animals. Animals treated with specific cytokines of epidermal growth factor, IL-1, IL-6, and neuregulin-1 as embryos or neonates exhibit schizophrenia-like behavioral abnormalities after puberty, some of which are ameliorated by treatment with antipsychotics. In this review, we discuss the neurobiological mechanisms underlying schizophrenia and novel antipsychotic candidates based on the cytokine hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuichiro Watanabe
- Department of Psychiatry, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan.
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35
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Walker RM, Christoforou A, Thomson PA, McGhee KA, Maclean A, Mühleisen TW, Strohmaier J, Nieratschker V, Nöthen MM, Rietschel M, Cichon S, Morris SW, Jilani O, Stclair D, Blackwood DH, Muir WJ, Porteous DJ, Evans KL. Association analysis of Neuregulin 1 candidate regions in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Neurosci Lett 2010; 478:9-13. [PMID: 20435087 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2010.04.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2010] [Revised: 04/15/2010] [Accepted: 04/23/2010] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BPD) are severe heritable psychiatric disorders involving a complex genetic aetiology. Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) is a leading candidate gene for SCZ, and has recently been implicated in BPD. We previously reported association of two NRG1 haplotypes with SCZ and BPD in a Scottish case-control sample. One haplotype is located at the 5' end of the gene (region A), and the other is located at the 3' end (region B). Here, association to haplotypes within regions A and B was assessed in patients with SCZ and BPD in a second Scottish case-control sample and in the two Scottish samples combined. Association to region B was also assessed in patients with SCZ and BPD in a German case-control sample, and in all three samples combined. No evidence was found for association in the new samples when analysed individually; however, in the joint analysis of the two Scottish samples, a region B haplotype comprising two SNPs (rs6988339 and rs3757930) was associated with SCZ and the combined case group (SCZ: p=0.0037, OR=1.3, 95% CI: 1.1-1.6; BPD+SCZ: p=0.0080, OR=1.2, 95% CI: 1.1-1.5), with these associations withstanding multiple testing correction at the single-test level (SCZ: p(st)=0.022; BPD+SCZ: p(st)=0.044). This study supports the involvement of NRG1 variants in the less well studied 3' region in conferring susceptibility to SCZ and BPD in the Scottish population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosie M Walker
- Medical Genetics Section, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Molecular Medicine Centre, Western General Hospital, University of Edinburgh, Crewe Road, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK.
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36
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O'Tuathaigh CMP, Harte M, O'Leary C, O'Sullivan GJ, Blau C, Lai D, Harvey RP, Tighe O, Fagan AJ, Kerskens C, Reynolds GP, Waddington JL. Schizophrenia-related endophenotypes in heterozygous neuregulin-1 'knockout' mice. Eur J Neurosci 2010; 31:349-58. [PMID: 20074216 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2009.07069.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Neuregulin-1 (NRG1) has been shown to play a role in glutamatergic neurotransmission and is a risk gene for schizophrenia, in which there is evidence for hypoglutamatergic function. Sensitivity to the behavioural effects of the psychotomimetic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists MK-801 and phencyclidine (PCP) was examined in mutant mice with heterozygous deletion of NRG1. Social behaviour (sociability, social novelty preference and dyadic interaction), together with exploratory activity, was assessed following acute or subchronic administration of MK-801 (0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg) or PCP (5 mg/kg). In untreated NRG1 mutants, levels of glutamate, N-acetylaspartate and GABA were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography and regional brain volumes were assessed using magnetic resonance imaging at 7T. NRG1 mutants, particularly males, displayed decreased responsivity to the locomotor-activating effects of acute PCP. Subchronic MK-801 and PCP disrupted sociability and social novelty preference in mutants and wildtypes and reversed the increase in both exploratory activity and social dominance-related behaviours observed in vehicle-treated mutants. No phenotypic differences were demonstrated in N-acetylaspartate, glutamate or GABA levels. The total ventricular and olfactory bulb volume was decreased in mutants. These data indicate a subtle role for NRG1 in modulating several schizophrenia-relevant processes including the effects of psychotomimetic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- C M P O'Tuathaigh
- Molecular & Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2, Ireland.
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Lakhan SE, Vieira KF. Schizophrenia pathophysiology: are we any closer to a complete model? Ann Gen Psychiatry 2009; 8:12. [PMID: 19445674 PMCID: PMC2689221 DOI: 10.1186/1744-859x-8-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2008] [Accepted: 05/15/2009] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia, a severe brain disorder that involves hallucinations, disordered thinking and deficiencies in cognition, has been studied for decades in order to determine the early events that lead to this neurological disorder. In this review, we interpret the developmental and genetic models that have been proposed and treatment options associated with these models. Schizophrenia was initially thought to be hereditary based on studies of high incidence in certain families. Additionally, studies on specific genes such as ZDHHC8 and DTNBP1 seem to suggest susceptibility to the onset of this disorder. However, no single gene variation has been linked to schizophrenia, and recent evidence on sporadic cases of schizophrenia refutes genetics as being a singular cause of the disease. In addition, current data suggests neurodevelopmental or environmental causes such as viral infections and prenatal/perinatal complications. Before any brain disorder can be understood, however, multiple cognitive neuroscientific models that accommodate evidence from many biomedical research fields should be considered, and unfortunately, many of these models are in the earliest stages of development. Consequently, it makes us question whether we are any closer to an adequate understanding of the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaheen E Lakhan
- Global Neuroscience Initiative Foundation, Los Angeles, California, USA.
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