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Zheng H, Webster MJ, Weickert CS, Beasley CL, Paulus MP, Yolken RH, Savitz J. Cytomegalovirus antibodies are associated with mood disorders, suicide, markers of neuroinflammation, and microglia activation in postmortem brain samples. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:5282-5292. [PMID: 37391529 PMCID: PMC10756933 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02162-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common, neurotrophic herpesvirus that can be reactivated by inflammation and cause central nervous system disease. We hypothesize that CMV may contribute to the neuroinflammation that underlies some psychiatric disorders by (1) exacerbating inflammation through the induction of anti-viral immune responses, and (2) translating peripheral inflammation into neuroinflammation. We investigated whether the presence of anti-CMV antibodies in blood were associated with mental illness, suicide, neuroinflammation, and microglial density in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in postmortem samples. Data (n = 114 with schizophrenia; n = 78 with bipolar disorder; n = 87 with depression; n = 85 controls) were obtained from the Stanley Medical Research Institute. DLPFC gene expression data from a subset of 82 samples were categorized into "high" (n = 30), and "low" (n = 52) inflammation groups based on a recursive two-step cluster analysis using expression data for four inflammation-related genes. Measurements of the ratio of non-ramified to ramified microglia, a proxy of microglial activation, were available for a subset of 49 samples. All analyses controlled for age, sex, and ethnicity, as well as postmortem interval, and pH for gene expression and microglial outcomes. CMV seropositivity significantly increased the odds of a mood disorder diagnosis (bipolar disorder: OR = 2.45; major depression: OR = 3.70) and among the psychiatric samples, of suicide (OR = 2.09). Samples in the upper tercile of anti-CMV antibody titers were more likely to be members of the "high" inflammation group (OR = 4.41, an effect driven by schizophrenia and bipolar disorder samples). CMV positive samples also showed an increased ratio of non-ramified to ramified microglia in layer I of the DLPFC (Cohen's d = 0.81) as well as a non-significant increase in this ratio for the DLPFC as a whole (d = 0.56). The results raise the possibility that the reactivation of CMV contributes to the neuroinflammation that underlies some cases of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haixia Zheng
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK, USA.
- Oxley College of Health Sciences, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA.
| | - Maree J Webster
- Laboratory of Brain Research, Stanley Medical Research Institute, 9800 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia
| | - Clare L Beasley
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Martin P Paulus
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK, USA
- Oxley College of Health Sciences, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA
| | - Robert H Yolken
- Stanley Division of Developmental Neurovirology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jonathan Savitz
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK, USA
- Oxley College of Health Sciences, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA
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Shishido R, Kunii Y, Hino M, Izumi R, Nagaoka A, Hayashi H, Kakita A, Tomita H, Yabe H. Evidence for increased DNA damage repair in the postmortem brain of the high stress-response group of schizophrenia. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1183696. [PMID: 37674553 PMCID: PMC10478254 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1183696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Schizophrenia (SZ) is a disorder diagnosed by specific symptoms and duration and is highly heterogeneous, clinically and pathologically. Although there are an increasing number of studies on the association between genetic and environmental factors in the development of SZ, the actual distribution of the population with different levels of influence of these factors has not yet been fully elucidated. In this study, we focused on stress as an environmental factor and stratified SZ based on the expression levels of stress-responsive molecules in the postmortem prefrontal cortex. Methods We selected the following stress-responsive molecules: interleukin (IL) -1β, IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, glucocorticoid receptor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, synaptophysin, S100 calcium-binding protein B, superoxide dismutase, postsynaptic density protein 95, synuclein, apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1), ApoA2, and solute carrier family 6 member 4. We performed RNA sequencing in the prefrontal gray matter of 25 SZ cases and 21 healthy controls and conducted a hierarchical cluster analysis of SZ based on the gene expression levels of stress-responsive molecules, which yielded two clusters. After assessing the validity of the clusters, they were designated as the high stress-response SZ group and the low stress-response SZ group, respectively. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between clusters was performed, and Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining was conducted on four cases each in the high and low stress-response SZ groups to validate DNA damage. Results We found higher prevalence of family history of SZ in the low stress-response SZ group (0/3 vs. 5/4, p = 0.04). Pathway analysis of DEGs between clusters showed the highest enrichment for DNA double-strand break repair. TUNEL staining showed a trend toward a lower percentage of TUNEL-positive cells in the high stress-response SZ group. Conclusion Our results suggest that there are subgroups of SZ with different degrees of stress impact. Furthermore, the pathophysiology of these subgroups may be associated with DNA damage repair. These results provide new insights into the interactions and heterogeneity between genetic and environmental factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Risa Shishido
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Yasuto Kunii
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Mizuki Hino
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Ryuta Izumi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Atsuko Nagaoka
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Hideki Hayashi
- Department of Pathology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Akiyoshi Kakita
- Department of Pathology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Tomita
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hirooki Yabe
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
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Miyahara K, Hino M, Yu Z, Ono C, Nagaoka A, Hatano M, Shishido R, Yabe H, Tomita H, Kunii Y. The influence of tissue pH and RNA integrity number on gene expression of human postmortem brain. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1156524. [PMID: 37520228 PMCID: PMC10379646 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1156524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Evaluating and controlling confounders are necessary when investigating molecular pathogenesis using human postmortem brain tissue. Particularly, tissue pH and RNA integrity number (RIN) are valuable indicators for controlling confounders. However, the influences of these indicators on the expression of each gene in postmortem brain have not been fully investigated. Therefore, we aimed to assess these effects on gene expressions of human brain samples. Methods We isolated total RNA from occipital lobes of 13 patients with schizophrenia and measured the RIN and tissue pH. Gene expression was analyzed and gene sets affected by tissue pH and RIN were identified. Moreover, we examined the functions of these genes by enrichment analysis and upstream regulator analysis. Results We identified 2,043 genes (24.7%) whose expressions were highly correlated with pH; 3,004 genes (36.3%) whose expressions were highly correlated with RIN; and 1,293 genes (15.6%) whose expressions were highly correlated with both pH and RIN. Genes commonly affected by tissue pH and RIN were highly associated with energy production and the immune system. In addition, genes uniquely affected by tissue pH were highly associated with the cell cycle, whereas those uniquely affected by RIN were highly associated with RNA processing. Conclusion The current study elucidated the influence of pH and RIN on gene expression profiling and identified gene sets whose expressions were affected by tissue pH or RIN. These findings would be helpful in the control of confounders for future postmortem brain studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazusa Miyahara
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Mizuki Hino
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Zhiqian Yu
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Chiaki Ono
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Atsuko Nagaoka
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Masataka Hatano
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Risa Shishido
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Hirooki Yabe
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Tomita
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Yasuto Kunii
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
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GRIN2B gene expression is increased in the anterior cingulate cortex in major depression. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 160:204-209. [PMID: 36848775 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
The glutamatergic system may be central to the neurobiology and treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) and psychosis. Despite the success of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonists for the treatment of MDD, little is known regarding the expression of these glutamate receptors in MDD. In this study we measured gene expression, via qRT-PCR, of the major NMDAR subunits, in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in MDD subjects with and without psychosis, and non-psychiatric controls. Overall, GRIN2B mRNA was increased in both MDD with (+32%) and without psychosis (+40%) compared to controls along with a trend increase in GRIN1 mRNA in MDD overall (+24%). Furthermore, in MDD with psychosis there was a significant decrease in the GRIN2A:GRIN2B mRNA ratio (-19%). Collectively these results suggest dysfunction of the glutamatergic system at the gene expression level in the ACC in MDD. Increased GRIN2B mRNA in MDD, along with an altered GRIN2A:GRIN2B ratio in psychotic depression, suggests a disruption to NMDAR composition could be present in the ACC in MDD; this could lead to enhanced signalling via GluN2B-containing NMDARs and greater potential for glutamate excitotoxicity in the ACC in MDD. These results support future research into GluN2B antagonist-based treatments for MDD.
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Zhu Y, Owens SJ, Murphy CE, Ajulu K, Rothmond D, Purves-Tyson T, Middleton F, Webster MJ, Weickert CS. Inflammation-related transcripts define "high" and "low" subgroups of individuals with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in the midbrain. Brain Behav Immun 2022; 105:149-159. [PMID: 35764269 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2022.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Dopamine dysregulation in schizophrenia may be associated with midbrain inflammation. Previously, we found elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNAs in the post-mortem midbrain of people with schizophrenia (46%) but not from unaffected controls (0%) using a brain cohort from Sydney, Australia. Here, we measured cytokine mRNAs and proteins in the midbrain in the Stanley Medical Research Institute (SMRI) array cohort (N = 105). We tested if the proportions of individuals with schizophrenia and with high inflammation can be replicated, and if individuals with bipolar disorder with elevated midbrain cytokines can be identified. mRNA levels of 7 immune transcripts from post-mortem midbrain tissue were measured via RT-PCR and two-step recursive clustering analysis was performed using 4 immune transcripts to define "high and low" inflammatory subgroups. The clustering predictors used were identical to our earlier midbrain study, and included: IL1B, IL6, TNF, and SERPINA3 mRNA levels. 46% of schizophrenia cases (16/35 SCZ), 6% of controls (2/33 CTRL), and 29% of bipolar disorder cases (10/35 BPD) were identified as belonging to the high inflammation (HI) subgroups [χ2 (2) = 13.54, p < 0.001]. When comparing inflammatory subgroups, all four mRNAs were significantly increased in SCZ-HI and BPD-HI compared to low inflammation controls (CTRL-LI) (p < 0.05). Additionally, protein levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-18 were elevated in SCZ-HI and BPD-HI compared to all other low inflammatory subgroups (all p < 0.05). Surprisingly, TNF-α protein levels were unchanged according to subgroups. In conclusion, we determined that almost half of the individuals with schizophrenia were defined as having high inflammation in the midbrain, replicating our previous findings. Further, we detected close to one-third of those with bipolar disorder to be classified as having high inflammation. Elevations in some pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNAs (IL-1β and IL-6) were also found at the protein level, whereas TNF mRNA and protein levels were not concordant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunting Zhu
- Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Samantha J Owens
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Caitlin E Murphy
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Kachikwulu Ajulu
- Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Debora Rothmond
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Tertia Purves-Tyson
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Frank Middleton
- Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Maree J Webster
- Laboratory of Brain Research, Stanley Medical Research Institute, 9800 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA; Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia; School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
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Petty A, Glass LJ, Rothmond DA, Purves-Tyson T, Sweeney A, Kondo Y, Kubo S, Matsumoto M, Weickert CS. Increased levels of a pro-inflammatory IgG receptor in the midbrain of people with schizophrenia. J Neuroinflammation 2022; 19:188. [PMID: 35841099 PMCID: PMC9287858 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-022-02541-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is growing evidence that neuroinflammation may contribute to schizophrenia neuropathology. Elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines are evident in the midbrain from schizophrenia subjects, findings that are driven by a subgroup of patients, characterised as a "high inflammation" biotype. Cytokines trigger the release of antibodies, of which immunoglobulin G (IgG) is the most common. The level and function of IgG is regulated by its transporter (FcGRT) and by pro-inflammatory IgG receptors (including FcGR3A) in balance with the anti-inflammatory IgG receptor FcGR2B. Testing whether abnormalities in IgG activity contribute to the neuroinflammatory abnormalities schizophrenia patients, particularly those with elevated cytokines, may help identify novel treatment targets. METHODS Post-mortem midbrain tissue from healthy controls and schizophrenia cases (n = 58 total) was used to determine the localisation and abundance of IgG and IgG transporters and receptors in the midbrain of healthy controls and schizophrenia patients. Protein levels of IgG and FcGRT were quantified using western blot, and gene transcript levels of FcGRT, FcGR3A and FcGR2B were assessed using qPCR. The distribution of IgG in the midbrain was assessed using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Results were compared between diagnostic (schizophrenia vs control) and inflammatory (high vs low inflammation) groups. RESULTS We found that IgG and FcGRT protein abundance (relative to β-actin) was unchanged in people with schizophrenia compared with controls irrespective of inflammatory subtype. In contrast, FcGRT and FcGR3A mRNA levels were elevated in the midbrain from "high inflammation" schizophrenia cases (FcGRT; p = 0.02, FcGR3A; p < 0.0001) in comparison to low-inflammation patients and healthy controls, while FcGR2B mRNA levels were unchanged. IgG immunoreactivity was evident in the midbrain, and approximately 24% of all individuals (control subjects and schizophrenia cases) showed diffusion of IgG from blood vessels into the brain. However, the intensity and distribution of IgG was comparable across schizophrenia cases and control subjects. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that an increase in the pro-inflammatory Fcγ receptor FcGR3A, rather than an overall increase in IgG levels, contribute to midbrain neuroinflammation in schizophrenia patients. However, more precise information about IgG-Fcγ receptor interactions is needed to determine their potential role in schizophrenia neuropathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Petty
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, 2031, Australia
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - L J Glass
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, 2031, Australia
- Centre for Immunology and Allergy Research, Westmead Institute of Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - D A Rothmond
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, 2031, Australia
| | - T Purves-Tyson
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, 2031, Australia
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - A Sweeney
- NSW Brain Tissue Resource Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Y Kondo
- Astellas Research Institute of America LLC, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - S Kubo
- Astellas Pharma Inc., Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8585, Japan
| | - M Matsumoto
- Astellas Research Institute of America LLC, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - C Shannon Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, 2031, Australia.
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA.
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Brown SJ, Brown AM, Purves-Tyson TD, Huang XF, Shannon Weickert C, Newell KA. Alterations in the kynurenine pathway and excitatory amino acid transporter-2 in depression with and without psychosis: Evidence of a potential astrocyte pathology. J Psychiatr Res 2022; 147:203-211. [PMID: 35063739 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.12.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Evidence, largely obtained from peripheral studies, suggests that alterations in the kynurenine pathway contribute to the aetiology of depression and disorders involving psychosis. Stimulation of the kynurenine pathway leads to the formation of neuroactive metabolites, including kynurenic acid (predominantly in astrocytes) and quinolinic acid (predominantly in microglia), which are antagonists and agonists of the glutamate NMDA receptor, respectively. In this study, we measured gene expression via qRT-PCR of the main kynurenine pathway enzymes in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in people with major depressive disorder and matched controls. In parallel, we tested for diagnostic differences in gene expression of relevant glial markers. We used total RNA isolated from the ACC from depression subjects with psychosis (n = 12) and without psychosis (n = 12), and non-psychiatric controls (n = 12) provided by the Stanley Medical Research Institute. In the ACC, KYAT1 (KAT I), AADAT (KAT II), and the astrocytic SLC1A2 (EAAT2) mRNAs, were significantly increased in depression, when combining those with and without psychosis. The increased KYAT1 and AADAT mRNA indicates that depression is associated with increased activation of the kynurenic acid arm of the kynurenine pathway in the ACC, suggesting an astrocyte response in depression. Considering EAAT2 and KATs increase astrocytic glutamate uptake and production of the NMDA receptor antagonist kynurenic acid, the observed increases of these markers may relate to changes in glutamatergic signalling in depression. These results suggest dysfunction of the kynurenine pathway in the brain in depression and point to the kynurenine pathway as a possible driver of glutamate dysfunction in depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samara J Brown
- School of Medicine and Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia
| | - Amelia M Brown
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, New South Wales, 2031, Australia
| | - Tertia D Purves-Tyson
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, New South Wales, 2031, Australia; School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Randwick, New South Wales, 2031, Australia
| | - Xu-Feng Huang
- School of Medicine and Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, New South Wales, 2031, Australia; School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Randwick, New South Wales, 2031, Australia; Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Kelly A Newell
- School of Medicine and Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia.
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Rahman T, Purves-Tyson T, Geddes AE, Huang XF, Newell KA, Weickert CS. N-Methyl-d-Aspartate receptor and inflammation in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2022; 240:61-70. [PMID: 34952289 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2021.11.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/27/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Lower N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) GluN1 subunit levels and heightened neuroinflammation are found in the cortex in schizophrenia. Since neuroinflammation can lead to changes in NMDAR function, it is possible that these observations are linked in schizophrenia. We aimed to extend our previous studies by measuring molecular indices of NMDARs that define key functional properties of this receptor - particularly the ratio of GluN2A and GluN2B subunits - in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) from schizophrenia and control cases (37/37). We sought to test whether changes in these measures are specific to the subset of schizophrenia cases with high levels of inflammation-related mRNAs, defined as a high inflammatory subgroup. Quantitative autoradiography was used to detect 'functional' NMDARs ([3H]MK-801), GluN1-coupled-GluN2A subunits ([3H]CGP-39653), and GluN1-coupled-GluN2B subunits ([3H]Ifenprodil). Quantitative RT-PCR was used to measure NMDAR subunit transcripts (GRIN1, GRIN2A and GRIN2B). The ratios of GluN2A:GluN2B binding and GRIN2A:GRIN2B mRNAs were calculated as an index of putative NMDAR composition. We found: 1) GluN2A binding, and 2) the ratios of GluN2A:GluN2B binding and GRIN2A:GRIN2B mRNAs were lower in schizophrenia cases versus controls (p < 0.05), and 3) lower GluN2A:GluN2B binding and GRIN2A:GRIN2B mRNA ratios were exaggerated in the high inflammation/schizophrenia subgroup compared to the low inflammation/control subgroup (p < 0.05). No other NMDAR-related indices were significantly changed in the high inflammation/schizophrenia subgroup. This suggests that neuroinflammation may alter NMDAR stoichiometry rather than targeting total NMDAR levels overall, and future studies could aim to determine if anti-inflammatory treatment can alleviate this aspect of NMDAR-related pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tasnim Rahman
- Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Tertia Purves-Tyson
- Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Amy E Geddes
- School of Medicine and Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Xu-Feng Huang
- School of Medicine and Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Kelly A Newell
- School of Medicine and Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, Australia.
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
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Expression Analysis of Ermin and Listerin E3 Ubiquitin Protein Ligase 1 Genes in the Periphery of Patients with Schizophrenia. J Mol Neurosci 2021; 72:246-254. [PMID: 34676516 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-021-01928-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a severe mental disorder with an unknown etiology. Recent researches indicate that correct myelination and translational regulation play a role in the pathogeny of SCZ. This study evaluated the expression pattern of Ermin (ERMN) and Listerin E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 1 (LTN1) genes, which play a role in myelination and ribosome quality control, respectively. The expression of the ERMN and LTN1 genes in the peripheral blood (PB) of 50 SCZ patients (male/female: 22/28, age (mean ± standard deviation (SD)): 35.9 ± 5.6) and 50 matched healthy controls (male/female: 23/27, age (mean ± SD): 34.7 ± 5.4) were assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Additionally, we used a bioinformatics approach based on microarray dataset analysis to examine the expression of these two genes in olfactory epithelium (OE) specimens. The expression of ERMN demonstrated no significant differences in PB samples among SCZ patients and healthy controls (adjusted P-value = 0.101). The expression of LTN1 was significantly higher in PB samples obtained from female patients compared with sex-matched controls (posterior beta = 1.734, adjusted P-value < 0.0001). Significant correlations were found between expression of the mentioned genes in PB samples both among SCZ patients and among healthy controls (r = 0.485, P < 0.001 and r = 0.516, P < 0.001, respectively). According to our in silico findings, the ERMN expression levels in OE samples of SCZ were statistically higher than those in controls (log2FC = 1.93, adj.P.Val = 9.66E-15). On the contrary, LTN1 expression levels in OE samples were statistically lower in SCZ cases versus controls (log2FC = - 0.77, adj.P.Val = 2.14E-06). Besides, a significant correlation was found between the expression of the mentioned genes in OE samples (r = - 0.60, P < 0.001). In conclusion, the present study is the first evidence to highlight the expression of the ERMN and LTN1 genes in the periphery of SCZ patients. Our findings may provide light on the SCZ's pathogeny.
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Purves-Tyson TD, Weber-Stadlbauer U, Richetto J, Rothmond DA, Labouesse MA, Polesel M, Robinson K, Shannon Weickert C, Meyer U. Increased levels of midbrain immune-related transcripts in schizophrenia and in murine offspring after maternal immune activation. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:849-863. [PMID: 31168068 PMCID: PMC7910216 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-019-0434-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Revised: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
The pathophysiology of dopamine dysregulation in schizophrenia involves alterations at the ventral midbrain level. Given that inflammatory mediators such as cytokines influence the functional properties of midbrain dopamine neurons, midbrain inflammation may play a role in schizophrenia by contributing to presynaptic dopamine abnormalities. Thus, we quantified inflammatory markers in dopaminergic areas of the midbrain of people with schizophrenia and matched controls. We also measured these markers in midbrain of mice exposed to maternal immune activation (MIA) during pregnancy, an established risk factor for schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders. We found diagnostic increases in SERPINA3, TNFα, IL1β, IL6, and IL6ST transcripts in schizophrenia compared with controls (p < 0.02-0.001). The diagnostic differences in these immune markers were accounted for by a subgroup of schizophrenia cases (~ 45%, 13/28) showing high immune status. Consistent with the human cohort, we identified increased expression of immune markers in the midbrain of adult MIA offspring (SERPINA3, TNFα, and IL1β mRNAs, all p ≤ 0.01), which was driven by a subset of MIA offspring (~ 40%, 13/32) with high immune status. There were no diagnostic (human cohort) or group-wise (mouse cohort) differences in cellular markers indexing the density and/or morphology of microglia or astrocytes, but an increase in the transcription of microglial and astrocytic markers in schizophrenia cases and MIA offspring with high inflammation. These data demonstrate that immune-related changes in schizophrenia extend to dopaminergic areas of the midbrain and exist in the absence of changes in microglial cell number, but with putative evidence of microglial and astrocytic activation in the high immune subgroup. MIA may be one of the contributing factors underlying persistent neuroimmune changes in the midbrain of people with schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tertia D Purves-Tyson
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, 2031, Australia
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Ulrike Weber-Stadlbauer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Juliet Richetto
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Debora A Rothmond
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, 2031, Australia
| | - Marie A Labouesse
- Physiology and Behavior Laboratory, ETH Zurich, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, NYC, 10032, NY, USA
| | | | - Kate Robinson
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, 2031, Australia
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, 2031, Australia.
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, 13210, New York, USA.
| | - Urs Meyer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Neuroscience Centre Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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11
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Adorjan I, Sun B, Feher V, Tyler T, Veres D, Chance SA, Szele FG. Evidence for Decreased Density of Calretinin-Immunopositive Neurons in the Caudate Nucleus in Patients With Schizophrenia. Front Neuroanat 2020; 14:581685. [PMID: 33281566 PMCID: PMC7691639 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2020.581685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SCH) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) share several common aetiological and symptomatic features suggesting they may be included in a common spectrum. For example, recent results suggest that excitatory/inhibitory imbalance is relevant in the etiology of SCH and ASD. Numerous studies have investigated this imbalance in regions like the ventromedial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). However, relatively little is known about neuroanatomical changes that could reduce inhibition in subcortical structures, such as the caudate nucleus (CN), in neuropsychiatric disorders. We recently showed a significant decrease in calretinin-immunopositive (CR-ip) interneuronal density in the CN of patients with ASD without significant change in the density of neuropeptide Y-immunopositive (NPY-ip) neurons. These subtypes together constitute more than 50% of caudate interneurons and are likely necessary for maintaining excitatory/inhibitory balance. Consequently, and since SCH and ASD share characteristic features, here we tested the hypothesis, that the density of CR-ip neurons in the CN is decreased in patients with SCH. We used immunohistochemistry and qPCR for CR and NPY in six patients with schizophrenia and six control subjects. As expected, small, medium and large CR-ip interneurons were detected in the CN. We found a 38% decrease in the density of all CR-ip interneurons (P < 0.01) that was driven by the loss of the small CR-ip interneurons (P < 0.01) in patients with SCH. The densities of the large CR-ip and of the NPY-ip interneurons were not significantly altered. The lower density detected could have been due to inflammation-induced degeneration. However, the state of microglial activation assessed by quantification of ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba1)- and transmembrane protein 119 (TMEM119)-immunopositive cells showed no significant difference between patients with SCH and controls. Our results warrant further studies focussing on the role of CR-ip neurons and on the striatum being a possible hub for information selection and regulation of associative cortical fields whose function have been altered in SCH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Istvan Adorjan
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Bin Sun
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.,Medical Research Council (MRC) London Institute of Medical Sciences, London, United Kingdom
| | - Virginia Feher
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Teadora Tyler
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Daniel Veres
- Department of Biophysics and Radiation Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Steven A Chance
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Francis G Szele
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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12
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Cai HQ, Weickert TW, Catts VS, Balzan R, Galletly C, Liu D, O'Donnell M, Shannon Weickert C. Altered levels of immune cell adhesion molecules are associated with memory impairment in schizophrenia and healthy controls. Brain Behav Immun 2020; 89:200-208. [PMID: 32540151 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Increased cytokines and increased intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM1) found in the schizophrenia prefrontal cortex and in the blood may relate to cognitive deficits. Endothelial ICAM1 regulates immune cell trafficking into the brain by binding to integrins located on the surface of leukocytes. Whether the circulating levels of the main ICAM1 adhesion partners, lymphocyte-function associated antigen-1 (LFA1) and complement receptor 3 (CR3), both integrins, are altered in schizophrenia is unknown. Gene expressions of ICAM1, LFA1 and CR3 were measured in leukocytes from 86 schizophrenia patients and 77 controls. Participants were also administered cognitive testing to determine the extent to which cognitive ability was related to molecular measures of leukocyte adhesion. This cohort was previously stratified into inflammatory subgroups based on circulating cytokine mRNAs; thus, gene expressions were analysed by diagnosis and by inflammatory subgroups. Previously measured plasma ICAM1 protein was elevated in "high inflammation" schizophrenia compared to both "high" and "low inflammation" controls while ICAM1 mRNA was unchanged in leukocytes. LFA1 mRNA was decreased and CR3 mRNA was increased in leukocytes from people with schizophrenia compared to controls. LFA1 mRNA levels were positively correlated with working memory and elevated soluble ICAM1 was negatively correlated with verbal memory in schizophrenia. Altogether, some of the cognitive deficits in schizophrenia may be associated with altered expression of molecules that regulate immune cell trafficking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Q Cai
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia; School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Thomas W Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia; School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Vibeke S Catts
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia; School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Ryan Balzan
- Discipline of Psychiatry, University of Adelaide, Australia; College of Education, Psychology, and Social Work, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Cherrie Galletly
- Discipline of Psychiatry, University of Adelaide, Australia; Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, Australia; Ramsay Health Care (SA) Mental Health, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Dennis Liu
- Discipline of Psychiatry, University of Adelaide, Australia; Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, Australia
| | | | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia; School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
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13
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Regional, cellular and species difference of two key neuroinflammatory genes implicated in schizophrenia. Brain Behav Immun 2020; 88:826-839. [PMID: 32450195 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.05.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) regulates the expression of many inflammatory genes that are overexpressed in a subset of people with schizophrenia. Transcriptional reduction in one NF-κB inhibitor, Human Immunodeficiency Virus Enhancer Binding Protein 2 (HIVEP2), is found in the brain of patients, aligning with evidence of NF-κB over-activity. Cellular co-expression of HIVEP2 and cytokine transcripts is a prerequisite for a direct effect of HIVEP2 on pro-inflammatory transcription, and we do not know if changes in HIVEP2 and markers of neuroinflammation are occurring in the same brain cell type. We performed in situ hybridisation on postmortem dorsolateral prefrontal cortex tissue to map and compare the expression of HIVEP2 and Serpin Family A Member 3 (SERPINA3), one of the most consistently increased inflammatory genes in schizophrenia, between schizophrenia patients and controls. We find that HIVEP2 expression is neuronal and is decreased in almost all grey matter cortical layers in schizophrenia patients with neuroinflammation, and that SERPINA3 is increased in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex grey matter and white matter in the same group of patients. We are the first to map the upregulation of SERPINA3 to astrocytes and to some neurons, and find evidence to suggest that blood vessel-associated astrocytes are the main cellular source of SERPINA3 in the schizophrenia cortex. We show that a lack of HIVEP2 in mice does not cause astrocytic upregulation of Serpina3n but does induce its transcription in neurons. We speculate that HIVEP2 downregulation is not a direct cause of astrocytic pro-inflammatory cytokine synthesis in schizophrenia but may contribute to neuronally-mediated neuroinflammation.
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Murphy CE, Lawther AJ, Webster MJ, Asai M, Kondo Y, Matsumoto M, Walker AK, Weickert CS. Nuclear factor kappa B activation appears weaker in schizophrenia patients with high brain cytokines than in non-schizophrenic controls with high brain cytokines. J Neuroinflammation 2020; 17:215. [PMID: 32680547 PMCID: PMC7368759 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-020-01890-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background High inflammation status despite an absence of known infection characterizes a subpopulation of people with schizophrenia who suffer from more severe cognitive deficits, less cortical grey matter, and worse neuropathology. Transcripts encoding factors upstream of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), a major transcriptional activator for the synthesis of pro-inflammatory cytokines, are increased in the frontal cortex in schizophrenia compared to controls. However, the extent to which these changes are disease-specific, restricted to those with schizophrenia and high-neuroinflammatory status, or caused by loss of a key NF-κB inhibitor (HIVEP2) found in schizophrenia brain, has not been tested. Methods Post-mortem prefrontal cortex samples were assessed in 141 human brains (69 controls and 72 schizophrenia) and 13 brains of wild-type mice and mice lacking HIVEP2 (6 wild-type, 7 knockout mice). Gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and acute phase protein SERPINA3 was used to categorize high and low neuroinflammation biotype groups in human samples via cluster analysis. Expression of 18 canonical and non-canonical NF-κB pathway genes was assessed by qPCR in human and mouse tissue. Results In humans, we found non-canonical upstream activators of NF-κB were generally elevated in individuals with neuroinflammation regardless of diagnosis, supporting NF-κB activation in both controls and people with schizophrenia when cytokine mRNAs are high. However, high neuroinflammation schizophrenia patients had weaker (or absent) transcriptional increases of several canonical upstream activators of NF-κB as compared to the high neuroinflammation controls. HIVEP2 mRNA reduction was specific to patients with schizophrenia who also had high neuroinflammatory status, and we also found decreases in NF-κB transcripts typically induced by activated microglia in mice lacking HIVEP2. Conclusions Collectively, our results show that high cortical expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and low cortical expression of HIVEP2 in a subset of people with schizophrenia is associated with a relatively weak NF-κB transcriptional signature compared to non-schizophrenic controls with high cytokine expression. We speculate that this comparatively milder NF-κB induction may reflect schizophrenia-specific suppression possibly related to HIVEP2 deficiency in the cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin E Murphy
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker Street, Randwick, Sydney, NSW, 2031, Australia.,School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Adam J Lawther
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker Street, Randwick, Sydney, NSW, 2031, Australia
| | - Maree J Webster
- Stanley Medical Research Institute, Kensington, Maryland, USA
| | - Makoto Asai
- Astellas Pharma Inc., Drug Discovery Research, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Yuji Kondo
- Astellas Pharma Inc., Drug Discovery Research, Tsukuba, Japan
| | | | - Adam K Walker
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker Street, Randwick, Sydney, NSW, 2031, Australia.,School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Drug Discovery Biology Theme, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker Street, Randwick, Sydney, NSW, 2031, Australia. .,School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia. .,Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York, USA.
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15
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Santarelli DM, Carroll AP, Cairns HM, Tooney PA, Cairns MJ. Schizophrenia-associated MicroRNA-Gene Interactions in the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex. GENOMICS PROTEOMICS & BIOINFORMATICS 2020; 17:623-634. [PMID: 32006661 PMCID: PMC7212302 DOI: 10.1016/j.gpb.2019.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Revised: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia-associated anomalies in gene expression in postmortem brain can be attributed to a combination of genetic and environmental influences. Given the small effect size of common variants, it is likely that we may only see the combined impact of some of these at the pathway level in small postmortem studies. At the gene level, however, there may be more impact from common environmental exposures mediated by influential epigenomic modifiers, such as microRNA (miRNA). We hypothesise that dysregulation of miRNAs and their alteration of gene expression have significant implications in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. In this study, we integrate changes in cortical gene and miRNA expression to identify regulatory interactions and networks associated with the disorder. Gene expression analysis in post-mortem prefrontal dorsolateral cortex (BA 46) (n = 74 matched pairs of schizophrenia, schizoaffective, and control samples) was integrated with miRNA expression in the same cohort to identify gene-miRNA regulatory networks. A significant gene-miRNA interaction network was identified, including miR-92a, miR-495, and miR-134, which converged with differentially expressed genes in pathways involved in neurodevelopment and oligodendrocyte function. The capacity for miRNA to directly regulate gene expression through respective binding sites in BCL11A, PLP1, and SYT11 was also confirmed to support the biological relevance of this integrated network model. The observations in this study support the hypothesis that miRNA dysregulation is an important factor in the complex pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle M Santarelli
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia
| | - Adam P Carroll
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia
| | - Heath M Cairns
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia
| | - Paul A Tooney
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia
| | - Murray J Cairns
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia.
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16
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Cai HQ, Catts VS, Webster MJ, Galletly C, Liu D, O’Donnell M, Weickert TW, Weickert CS. Increased macrophages and changed brain endothelial cell gene expression in the frontal cortex of people with schizophrenia displaying inflammation. Mol Psychiatry 2020; 25:761-775. [PMID: 30214039 PMCID: PMC7156343 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-018-0235-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Revised: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines exist in both blood and brain of people with schizophrenia but how this affects molecular indices of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is unclear. Eight mRNAs relating to BBB function, a microglia and three immune cell markers were measured by qPCR in the prefrontal cortex from 37 people with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder and 37 matched controls. This cohort was previously grouped into "high inflammation" and "low inflammation" subgroups based on cortical inflammatory-related transcripts. Soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM1) was measured in the plasma of 78 patients with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder and 73 healthy controls. We found that sICAM1 was significantly elevated in schizophrenia. An efflux transporter, ABCG2, was lower, while mRNAs encoding VE-cadherin and ICAM1 were higher in schizophrenia brain. The "high inflammation" schizophrenia subgroup had lower ABCG2 and higher ICAM1, VE-cadherin, occludin and interferon-induced transmembrane protein mRNAs compared to both "low inflammation" schizophrenia and "low inflammation" control subgroups. ICAM1 immunohistochemistry showed enrichment in brain endothelium regardless of diagnosis and was localised to astrocytes in some brains. Microglia mRNA was not altered in schizophrenia nor did it correlate with ICAM1 expression. Immune cell mRNAs were elevated in "high inflammation" schizophrenia compared to both "low inflammation" schizophrenia and controls. CD163+ perivascular macrophages were identified by immunohistochemistry in brain parenchyma in over 40% of "high inflammation" schizophrenia brains. People with high levels of cytokine expression and schizophrenia display changes consistent with greater immune cell transmigration into brain via increased ICAM1, which could contribute to other neuropathological changes found in this subgroup of people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Q. Cai
- 0000 0000 8900 8842grid.250407.4Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Sydney, NSW Australia ,0000 0004 4902 0432grid.1005.4School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Vibeke S. Catts
- 0000 0000 8900 8842grid.250407.4Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Sydney, NSW Australia ,0000 0004 4902 0432grid.1005.4School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Maree J. Webster
- 0000 0004 0473 2858grid.453353.7Stanley Medical Research Institute, Kensington, MD USA
| | - Cherrie Galletly
- 0000 0004 1936 7304grid.1010.0Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA Australia ,Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, SA Australia ,Ramsay Health Care (SA) Mental Health Services, Adelaide, SA Australia
| | - Dennis Liu
- 0000 0004 1936 7304grid.1010.0Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA Australia ,Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, SA Australia
| | - Maryanne O’Donnell
- 0000 0004 4902 0432grid.1005.4School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Thomas W Weickert
- 0000 0000 8900 8842grid.250407.4Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Sydney, NSW Australia ,0000 0004 4902 0432grid.1005.4School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Sydney, NSW, Australia. .,School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia. .,Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
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Dysregulation of kynurenine metabolism is related to proinflammatory cytokines, attention, and prefrontal cortex volume in schizophrenia. Mol Psychiatry 2020; 25:2860-2872. [PMID: 30940904 PMCID: PMC7577855 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-019-0401-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2017] [Revised: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The kynurenine pathway (KP) of tryptophan (TRP) catabolism links immune system activation with neurotransmitter signaling. The KP metabolite kynurenic acid (KYNA) is increased in the brains of people with schizophrenia. We tested the extent to which: (1) brain KP enzyme mRNAs, (2) brain KP metabolites, and (3) plasma KP metabolites differed on the basis of elevated cytokines in schizophrenia vs. control groups and the extent to which plasma KP metabolites were associated with cognition and brain volume in patients displaying elevated peripheral cytokines. KP enzyme mRNAs and metabolites were assayed in two independent postmortem brain samples from a total of 71 patients with schizophrenia and 72 controls. Plasma KP metabolites, cognition, and brain volumes were measured in an independent cohort of 96 patients with schizophrenia and 81 healthy controls. Groups were stratified based on elevated vs. normal proinflammatory cytokine mRNA levels. In the prefrontal cortex (PFC), kynurenine (KYN)/TRP ratio, KYNA levels, and mRNA for enzymes, tryptophan dioxygenase (TDO) and kynurenine aminotransferases (KATI/II), were significantly increased in the high cytokine schizophrenia subgroup. KAT mRNAs significantly correlated with mRNA for glial fibrillary acidic protein in patients. In plasma, the high cytokine schizophrenia subgroup displayed an elevated KYN/TRP ratio, which correlated inversely with attention and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) volume. This study provides further evidence for the role of inflammation in a subgroup of patients with schizophrenia and suggests a molecular mechanism through which inflammation could lead to schizophrenia. Proinflammatory cytokines may elicit conversion of TRP to KYN in the periphery and increase the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist KYNA via increased KAT mRNA and possibly more enzyme synthesis activity in brain astrocytes, leading to DLPFC volume loss, and attention impairment in schizophrenia.
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Human Brain Region-Specific Alternative Splicing of TRPC3, the Type 3 Canonical Transient Receptor Potential Non-Selective Cation Channel. THE CEREBELLUM 2019; 18:536-543. [PMID: 30887370 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-019-01026-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Canonical transient receptor potential (TRPC) non-selective cation channels are broadly expressed by neurons, glia and the microvasculature of the brain. In neurons and astrocytes, these ion channels are coupled to group I metabotropic glutamate receptors via Gαq-phospholipase C signal transduction. In the mouse cerebellar Purkinje neurons, TRPC channels assembled as tetramers of TRPC3 subunits exclusively mediate this glutamatergic signalling mechanism and regulation of alternative splicing results in dominance of a high Ca2+ conducting TRPC3c isoform. This regional control of TRPC3 transcript type likely has physiological and pathophysiological sequelae. The current study provides a quantitative comparison of the TRPC3c splice variant and the TRPC3b full-length isoform expression across seven regions of the human brain. This shows that the cerebellum has the highest expression level of both isoforms and that regulation of alternative splicing results in a higher propensity of the TRPC3c isoform in the cerebellum relative to the TRPC3b isoform (in a 1:3 ratio). This compares with the other regions (motor cortex, hippocampus, midbrain subregions, pons and medulla) where the prevalence of TRPC3c relative to TRPC3b is typically less than half as abundant. The finding here of a bias in the high-conductance TRPC3c isoform in the cerebellum is consistent with the enhanced vulnerability of the cerebellum to ischaemic injury.
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Owens SJ, Purves-Tyson TD, Webster MJ, Shannon Weickert C. Evidence for enhanced androgen action in the prefrontal cortex of people with bipolar disorder but not schizophrenia or major depressive disorder. Psychiatry Res 2019; 280:112503. [PMID: 31446215 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2019.112503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Revised: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Anxiety and depressive disorders are more prevalent in hypogonadal men. Low testosterone levels are associated with greater negative symptoms and impaired cognition in men with schizophrenia. Thus, androgens may contribute to brain pathophysiology in psychiatric disorders. We investigated androgen-related mRNAs in post-mortem dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of psychiatric disorders. We also assessed androgen receptor (AR) CAG trinucleotide repeat length, a functional AR gene variant associated with AR gene expression, receptor activity, and circulating testosterone. AR CAG repeat length was determined from genomic DNA and AR and 5α-reductase mRNAs measured using quantitative PCR in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and control cases [n = 35/group; Stanley Medical Research Institute (SMRI) Array collection]. Layer-specific AR gene expression was determined using in situ hybridisation in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder and control cases (n = 15/group; SMRI Neuropathology Consortium). AR mRNA was increased in bipolar disorder, but was unchanged in schizophrenia, relative to controls. AR and 5α-reductase mRNAs were significantly positively correlated in bipolar disorder. AR CAG repeat length was significantly shorter in bipolar disorder relative to schizophrenia. AR mRNA expression was highest in cortical layers IV and V, but no layer-specific diagnostic differences were detected. Together, our results suggest enhanced cortical androgen action in people with bipolar disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha J Owens
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick NSW 2031, Australia; School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Tertia D Purves-Tyson
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick NSW 2031, Australia; School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Maree J Webster
- Laboratory of Brain Research, Stanley Medical Research Institute, MD 20815, USA
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick NSW 2031, Australia; School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia; Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA.
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Blood and brain protein levels of ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2K (UBE2K) are elevated in individuals with schizophrenia. J Psychiatr Res 2019; 113:51-57. [PMID: 30901725 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2019.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2018] [Revised: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
A number of recent studies have suggested the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) in schizophrenia is dysfunctional. The purpose of this study was to investigate UBE2K, a ubiquitin-conjugating (E2) enzyme within the UPS that has been associated with psychosis symptom severity, in the blood and brain of individuals with schizophrenia. Whole blood and erythrocytes from 128 (71 treatment-resistant schizophrenia, 57 healthy controls) individuals as well as frozen dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) post-mortem samples from 74 (37 schizophrenia, 37 controls) individuals were obtained. UBE2K gene expression was assayed in whole blood and DLPFC samples, whereas protein levels were assayed in erythrocytes and OFC samples. Elevated levels of UBE2K mRNA were observed in whole blood of individuals with schizophrenia (p = 0.03) but not in the DLPFC, while protein levels were raised in erythrocytes and the OFC (p < 0.001 and p = 0.002 respectively). Findings were not better explained by age, smoking, clozapine plasma levels or duration of illness. Although blood and brain samples were derived from independent samples, our findings suggest peripheral protein levels of UBE2K may serve as a surrogate of brain levels and further supports the notion of UPS dysfunction in schizophrenia. Future studies to determine the pathophysiological effects of elevated UBE2K protein levels in the brain of those with schizophrenia are warranted.
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Circular RNA biogenesis is decreased in postmortem cortical gray matter in schizophrenia and may alter the bioavailability of associated miRNA. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:1043-1054. [PMID: 30786269 PMCID: PMC6461776 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-019-0348-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Revised: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a covalently closed subclass of non-coding RNA molecules formed by back splicing of linear precursor RNA. These molecules are relatively stable and particularly abundant in the mammalian brain and therefore may participate in neural development and function. With the emergence of circRNAs activity in gene regulation, these molecules have been implicated in several biological processes, including synaptic plasticity, and we therefore suspect they may have a role in neurobehavioral disorders. Here, we profile cortical circRNAs expression in 35 postmortem cortical gray matter (BA46) schizophrenia and a non-psychiatric comparison group, using circRNA enrichment sequencing. While more than 90,000 circRNAs species were identified in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), we observed lower complexity and substantial depletion in subjects with the disorder. Although circRNAs expression was independent of their host gene transcription, alternative splicing rates were lower in samples from cases compared to controls. Gene set analysis of differentially expressed circRNAs host genes revealed significant enrichment of neural functions and neurological disorders. Many of these depleted circRNAs are also predicted to sequester miRNAs that were shown previously to be increased in the disorder, potentially exacerbating the functional impact of their dysregulation through posttranscriptional gene silencing. While this is the first reported exploration of circRNAs in schizophrenia, there is significant potential for dysregulation more broadly in other major mental illnesses and behavioral disorders. Given their capacity for modulating miRNA function, circRNA may play a significant role in the pathophysiology of disease and even be targeted for therapeutic manipulation.
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Bousman CA, Luza S, Mancuso SG, Kang D, Opazo CM, Mostaid MS, Cropley V, McGorry P, Shannon Weickert C, Pantelis C, Bush AI, Everall IP. Elevated ubiquitinated proteins in brain and blood of individuals with schizophrenia. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2307. [PMID: 30783160 PMCID: PMC6381171 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-38490-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysregulation of the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) has been linked to schizophrenia but it is not clear if this dysregulation is detectable in both brain and blood. We examined free mono-ubiquitin, ubiquitinated proteins, catalytic ubiquitination, and proteasome activities in frozen postmortem OFC tissue from 76 (38 schizophrenia, 38 control) matched individuals, as well as erythrocytes from 181 living participants, who comprised 30 individuals with recent onset schizophrenia (mean illness duration = 1 year), 63 individuals with 'treatment-resistant' schizophrenia (mean illness duration = 17 years), and 88 age-matched participants without major psychiatric illness. Ubiquitinated protein levels were elevated in postmortem OFC in schizophrenia compared to controls (p = <0.001, AUC = 74.2%). Similarly, individuals with 'treatment-resistant' schizophrenia had higher levels of ubiquitinated proteins in erythrocytes compared to those with recent onset schizophrenia (p < 0.001, AUC = 65.5%) and controls (p < 0.001, AUC = 69.4%). The results could not be better explained by changes in proteasome activity, demographic, medication, or tissue factors. Our results suggest that ubiquitinated protein formation may be abnormal in both the brain and erythrocytes of those with schizophrenia, particularly in the later stages or specific sub-groups of the illness. A derangement in protein ubiquitination may be linked to pathogenesis or neurotoxicity in schizophrenia, and its manifestation in the blood may have prognostic utility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chad A Bousman
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Carlton South, VIC, Australia
- The Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Mental Health, Victoria, Australia
- Departments of Medical Genetics, Psychiatry, Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Sandra Luza
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Carlton South, VIC, Australia
- Melbourne Dementia Research Centre, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Serafino G Mancuso
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Carlton South, VIC, Australia
| | - Dali Kang
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Carlton South, VIC, Australia
- Guangdong Food and Drug Vocational College, Guangzhou, China
| | - Carlos M Opazo
- Melbourne Dementia Research Centre, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Md Shaki Mostaid
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Carlton South, VIC, Australia
- The Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Mental Health, Victoria, Australia
| | - Vanessa Cropley
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Carlton South, VIC, Australia
| | - Patrick McGorry
- Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- NorthWestern Mental Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Carlton South, VIC, Australia
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Baker Street, Sydney, Australia
- School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Christos Pantelis
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Carlton South, VIC, Australia
- The Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Mental Health, Victoria, Australia
- Melbourne Dementia Research Centre, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- NorthWestern Mental Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Centre for Neural Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, VIC, Australia
| | - Ashley I Bush
- The Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Mental Health, Victoria, Australia.
- Melbourne Dementia Research Centre, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
| | - Ian P Everall
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Carlton South, VIC, Australia.
- The Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Mental Health, Victoria, Australia.
- Melbourne Dementia Research Centre, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
- Centre for Neural Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, VIC, Australia.
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
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Mostaid MS, Dimitrakopoulos S, Wannan C, Cropley V, Weickert CS, Everall IP, Pantelis C, Bousman CA. An Interleukin-1 beta (IL1B) haplotype linked with psychosis transition is associated with IL1B gene expression and brain structure. Schizophr Res 2019; 204:201-205. [PMID: 30220520 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2018.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Revised: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 09/09/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
We investigated IL1B genetic variation previously associated with risk for transition to psychosis for its association with gene expression in human post-mortem dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) from 74 (37 schizophrenia, 37 control) individuals and brain structure in 92 (44 schizophrenia, 48 control) living individuals. The IL1B A-G-T 'risk for psychosis transition' haplotype (rs16944|rs4848306|rs12621220) was associated with upregulation of IL1B mRNA expression in the DLPFC as well as reduced total grey matter and left middle frontal volumes and enlarged left lateral ventricular volume. Our results suggest IL1B genetic variation may confer psychosis risk via elevated mRNA expression and/or brain structure abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Shaki Mostaid
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Carlton South, VIC, Australia; The Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Mental Health, VIC, Australia
| | - Stefanos Dimitrakopoulos
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Carlton South, VIC, Australia; The Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Mental Health, VIC, Australia; 1st Department of Psychiatry, Athens University Medical School, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Cassandra Wannan
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Carlton South, VIC, Australia; The Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Mental Health, VIC, Australia
| | - Vanessa Cropley
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Carlton South, VIC, Australia
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker Street, Sydney, Australia; School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York 13210, USA
| | - Ian P Everall
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Carlton South, VIC, Australia; The Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Mental Health, VIC, Australia; Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia; Centre for Neural Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, VIC, Australia; NorthWestern Mental Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Christos Pantelis
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Carlton South, VIC, Australia; The Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Mental Health, VIC, Australia; Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia; Centre for Neural Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, VIC, Australia; NorthWestern Mental Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chad A Bousman
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Carlton South, VIC, Australia; The Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Mental Health, VIC, Australia; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Departments of Medical Genetics, Psychiatry, and Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
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Abstract
Premortem, postmortem, and storage conditions are parameters that can influence the quality and interpretation of data from studies of postmortem tissue. While many neurochemicals in the brain are relatively stable for several hours after death if stored at 4°C, the postmortem delay nevertheless becomes an important variable when examining the disease state because neurochemical levels may change with extended postmortem delay. Moreover, in the postmortem brain, neurochemical levels may also play a key role in determining the diagnosis. This is particularly true for some neurodegenerative disorders where many of the clinical features of the disease are not exclusive to one illness. It is therefore imperative to employ brain tissue of the highest quality from both nondiseased (control) and diseased brain tissue to ascertain the specific molecular and genetic mechanisms particular to the disease pathogenesis. Consequently, it would be very useful if specific markers could be employed to demonstrate and determine the quality of postmortem brain tissue that is suitable for such studies. In this chapter, the following neurochemical markers are critically reviewed as potential candidates to assess the quality of postmortem brain tissue: tryptophan levels, glutathione levels (and glutathione metabolic enzymes), enzymatic activities (glutamate decarboxylase, phosphofructokinase-1), epigenetic enzymes (acetyltransferase, methyltransferase), and tissue pH. In conclusion, the neurochemical tryptophan appears to be the most suitable candidate for assessing the integrity and quality of postmortem brain tissue. However, to optimize the quality of the samples, neuropathologic diagnostic characterization must also be employed in the interpretation and understanding of the data generated. It would also be judicious to consider as many premortem and postmortem conditions as possible as they can also affect the genetic and molecular integrity of the brain tissue.
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Mohan A, Thalamuthu A, Mather KA, Zhang Y, Catts VS, Weickert CS, Sachdev PS. Differential expression of synaptic and interneuron genes in the aging human prefrontal cortex. Neurobiol Aging 2018; 70:194-202. [PMID: 30031232 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2018.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2017] [Revised: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 06/07/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Altered inhibition-excitation balance is implicated in brain aging. We hypothesized that expression of 14 genes encoding proteins localized to synapses or interneurons would show age-related changes relative to 1 another in postmortem tissue from the prefrontal cortex of 37 individuals (18-78 years) and that synaptic or interneuron markers would be differentially correlated with human brain volumes across aging. The majority of genes examined were differentially expressed with age, most being downregulated. Expression of 3 interneuron-related genes was significantly negatively associated with age (calbindin, somatostatin, cholecystokinin), whereas 3 synapse-related genes showed significant age-related expression change (PSD95, GAP43, VGLUT1). On covarying for 2 glial markers (GFAP, IBA1), all 3 interneuron genes and 1 synaptic gene (Growth-associated protein 43) remained significant. Two genes were significantly associated with total brain volume (calbindin, complexin 2) and a marker of synaptic density (synaptophysin) was significantly associated with cortical gray matter volume. Age-related change in expression of genes involved in maintenance of inhibition-excitation balance and regulation of prefrontocortical network dynamics suggests these pathways may contribute to brain aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adith Mohan
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), University of New South Wales (UNSW) Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; School of Psychiatry, UNSW Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Neuropsychiatric Institute, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Anbupalam Thalamuthu
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), University of New South Wales (UNSW) Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Karen A Mather
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), University of New South Wales (UNSW) Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Yiru Zhang
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Vibeke S Catts
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- School of Psychiatry, UNSW Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Perminder S Sachdev
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), University of New South Wales (UNSW) Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; School of Psychiatry, UNSW Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Neuropsychiatric Institute, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
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Zhang Y, Catts VS, Shannon Weickert C. Lower antioxidant capacity in the prefrontal cortex of individuals with schizophrenia. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 2018; 52:690-698. [PMID: 28891319 DOI: 10.1177/0004867417728805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The glutathione (GSH) pathway is the main antioxidant system to protect against oxidative stress in the human brain. In this study, we tested whether molecular components of the GSH antioxidant system are changed in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex tissue from people with schizophrenia compared to controls. METHOD The levels of total glutathione and reduced GSH were determined by fluorometric assay via quantifying thiols in extracts from frontal cortex of 68 people. Immunoblotting was used to measure levels of enzymes responsible for maintaining GSH, the glutamyl-cysteine ligase (GCL) catalytic subunit (GCLC) and the GSH peroxidase (GPx)-like protein ( n = 74). Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to measure GCLC messenger RNA (mRNA) expression. RESULTS Both total glutathione ( t(66) = 2.467, p = 0.016) and reduced GSH ( t(66) = 3.001, p = 0.004) levels were significantly less in people with schizophrenia than in controls. However, there were no significant differences in either GCLC-like protein ( t(72) = -1.077, p = 0.285) or GCLC mRNA expression ( t(71) = -0.376, p = 0.708) between people with schizophrenia and control subjects. There was also no significant difference of GPx-like protein levels between schizophrenia and controls ( t(72) = -0.060, p = 0.952). Moreover, no significant correlations of putative confounding factors with GSH changes were detected. DISCUSSION These results suggest that people with schizophrenia have impaired GSH antioxidant capacity, alongside normal levels of key regulatory proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiru Zhang
- 1 Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,2 Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW, Australia.,3 School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Vibeke Sørensen Catts
- 1 Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,2 Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW, Australia.,3 School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- 1 Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,2 Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW, Australia.,3 School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Lum JS, Millard SJ, Huang XF, Ooi L, Newell KA. A postmortem analysis of NMDA ionotropic and group 1 metabotropic glutamate receptors in the nucleus accumbens in schizophrenia. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2018; 43. [PMID: 29481317 PMCID: PMC5837882 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.170077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The nucleus accumbens (NAcc) has been implicated in the pathology and treatment of schizophrenia. Recent postmortem evidence suggests a hyperglutamatergic state in the NAcc. With the present study we aimed to explore possible glutamatergic alterations in the NAcc of a large schizophrenia cohort. METHODS We performed immunoblots on postmortem NAcc samples from 30 individuals who had schizophrenia and 30 matched controls. We examined the protein expression of primary glutamatergic receptors, including the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor (NR1, NR2A and NR2B subunits) and the group 1 metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR1 and mGluR5; dimeric and monomeric forms). In addition, we measured the group 1 mGluR endogenous regulators, neurochondrin and Homer1b/c, which have recently been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. RESULTS Protein levels of glutamatergic receptors and endogenous regulators were not significantly different between the controls and individuals who had schizophrenia. Furthermore, mGluR5, but not mGluR1, showed a positive association with NMDA receptor subunits, suggesting differential interactions between these receptors in this brain region. LIMITATIONS Investigation of these proteins in antipsychotic-naive individuals, in addition to the subregions of the NAcc and subcellular fractions, will strengthen future studies. CONCLUSION The present study does not provide evidence for glutamatergic abnormalities within the NAcc of individuals with schizophrenia. Taken together with the results of previous studies, these findings suggest NMDA receptors and group 1 mGluRs are altered in a brain region-dependent manner in individuals with schizophrenia. The differential associations between mGluR1, mGluR5 and NMDA receptors observed in this study warrant further research into the interactions of these proteins and the implications for the therapeutic and adverse effect profile of glutamatergic-based novel therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy S Lum
- From the School of Medicine, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia (Lum, Millard, Huang, Newell); the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia (Lum, Millard, Huang, Ooi, Newell); the Schizophrenia Research Institute, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia (Lum); and the School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia (Ooi)
| | - Samuel J Millard
- From the School of Medicine, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia (Lum, Millard, Huang, Newell); the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia (Lum, Millard, Huang, Ooi, Newell); the Schizophrenia Research Institute, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia (Lum); and the School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia (Ooi)
| | - Xu-Feng Huang
- From the School of Medicine, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia (Lum, Millard, Huang, Newell); the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia (Lum, Millard, Huang, Ooi, Newell); the Schizophrenia Research Institute, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia (Lum); and the School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia (Ooi)
| | - Lezanne Ooi
- From the School of Medicine, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia (Lum, Millard, Huang, Newell); the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia (Lum, Millard, Huang, Ooi, Newell); the Schizophrenia Research Institute, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia (Lum); and the School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia (Ooi)
| | - Kelly A Newell
- From the School of Medicine, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia (Lum, Millard, Huang, Newell); the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia (Lum, Millard, Huang, Ooi, Newell); the Schizophrenia Research Institute, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia (Lum); and the School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia (Ooi)
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28
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Karis K, Eskla KL, Kaare M, Täht K, Tuusov J, Visnapuu T, Innos J, Jayaram M, Timmusk T, Weickert CS, Väli M, Vasar E, Philips MA. Altered Expression Profile of IgLON Family of Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules in the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex of Schizophrenic Patients. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:8. [PMID: 29434535 PMCID: PMC5797424 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Neural adhesion proteins are crucial in the development and maintenance of functional neural connectivity. Growing evidence suggests that the IgLON family of neural adhesion molecules LSAMP, NTM, NEGR1, and OPCML are important candidates in forming the susceptibility to schizophrenia (SCZ). IgLON proteins have been shown to be involved in neurite outgrowth, synaptic plasticity and neuronal connectivity, all of which have been shown to be altered in the brains of patients with the diagnosis of schizophrenia. Here we optimized custom 5'-isoform-specific TaqMan gene-expression analysis for the transcripts of human IgLON genes to study the expression of IgLONs in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of schizophrenic patients (n = 36) and control subjects (n = 36). Uniform 5'-region and a single promoter was confirmed for the human NEGR1 gene by in silico analysis. IgLON5, a recently described family member, was also included in the study. We detected significantly elevated levels of the NEGR1 transcript (1.33-fold increase) and the NTM 1b isoform transcript (1.47-fold increase) in the DLPFC of schizophrenia patients compared to healthy controls. Consequent protein analysis performed in male subjects confirmed the increase in NEGR1 protein content both in patients with the paranoid subtype and in patients with other subtypes. In-group analysis of patients revealed that lower expression of certain IgLON transcripts, mostly LSAMP 1a and 1b, could be related with concurrent depressive endophenotype in schizophrenic patients. Additionally, our study cohort provides further evidence that cannabis use may be a relevant risk factor associated with suicidal behaviors in psychotic patients. In conclusion, we provide clinical evidence of increased expression levels of particular IgLON family members in the DLPFC of schizophrenic patients. We propose that alterations in the expression profile of IgLON neural adhesion molecules are associated with brain circuit disorganization in neuropsychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia. In the light of previously published data, we suggest that increased level of NEGR1 in the frontal cortex may serve as molecular marker for a wider spectrum of psychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina Karis
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Centre of Excellence for Genomics and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kattri-Liis Eskla
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Centre of Excellence for Genomics and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Maria Kaare
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Centre of Excellence for Genomics and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Karin Täht
- Institute of Psychology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Jana Tuusov
- Department of Pathological Anatomy and Forensic Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Estonian Forensic Science Institute, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Tanel Visnapuu
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Centre of Excellence for Genomics and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Jürgen Innos
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Centre of Excellence for Genomics and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Mohan Jayaram
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Centre of Excellence for Genomics and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Tõnis Timmusk
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Cynthia S Weickert
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Schizophrenia Research Institute, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Marika Väli
- Department of Pathological Anatomy and Forensic Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Estonian Forensic Science Institute, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Eero Vasar
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Centre of Excellence for Genomics and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Mari-Anne Philips
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Centre of Excellence for Genomics and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
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Tsai SY, Catts VS, Fullerton JM, Corley SM, Fillman SG, Weickert CS. Nuclear Receptors and Neuroinflammation in Schizophrenia. MOLECULAR NEUROPSYCHIATRY 2018; 3:181-191. [PMID: 29888229 DOI: 10.1159/000485565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Several nuclear receptor family members have been associated with schizophrenia and inflammation. Vitamins A and D exert anti-inflammatory actions, but their receptors (mainly nuclear receptors) have not been extensively studied in either schizophrenia brains or in association with neuroinflammation. We examined the expression of vitamin A (RARs and RXRs) and vitamin D and protein disulphide-isomerase A3 (PDIA3) receptors, as well as nuclear orphan receptors (NR4As), in the context of elevated cytokine expression in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Methods mRNA levels of nuclear receptors were measured in DLPFC tissues via RT-qPCR. ANCOVAs comparing high inflammation schizophrenia, low inflammation schizophrenia and low inflammation control groups were performed. Results RARG, RXRB, NR4A1 and NR4A3 transcripts showed significant differential expression across the three groups (ANCOVA p = 0.02-0.001). Post hoc testing revealed significant reductions in RARG expression in schizophrenia with low inflammation compared to schizophrenia with high inflammation and to controls, and RXRB mRNA was significantly reduced in schizophrenia with low inflammation compared to controls. NR4A1 and NR4A3 mRNAs were decreased in schizophrenia with high inflammation compared to schizophrenia with low inflammation, with NR4A1 also significantly different to controls. Conclusion In schizophrenia, changes in nuclear receptor mRNA levels involved with mediating actions of vitamin A derivatives vary according to the inflammatory state of brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan-Yuan Tsai
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Vibeke S Catts
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Janice M Fullerton
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Susan M Corley
- Systems Biology Initiative, School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Stuart G Fillman
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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30
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Weickert CS, Rothmond DA, Purves-Tyson TD. Considerations for optimal use of postmortem human brains for molecular psychiatry: lessons from schizophrenia. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2018; 150:221-235. [PMID: 29496143 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-63639-3.00016-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a disabling disease impacting millions of people around the world, for which there is no known cure. Current antipsychotic treatments for schizophrenia mainly target psychotic symptoms, do little to ameliorate social or cognitive deficits, have side-effects that cause weight gain, and diabetes and 30% of people do not respond. Thus, better therapeutics for schizophrenia aimed at the route biologic changes are needed and discovering the underlying neurobiology is key to this quest. Postmortem brain studies provide the most direct and detailed way to determine the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. This chapter outlines steps that can be taken to ensure the best-quality molecular data from postmortem brain tissue are obtained. In this chapter, we also discuss targeted and high-throughput methods for examining gene and protein expression and some of the strengths and limitations of each method. We briefly consider why gene and protein expression changes may not always concur within brain tissue. We conclude that postmortem brain research that investigates gene and protein expression in well-characterized and matched brain cohorts provides an important foundation to be considered when interpreting data obtained from studies of living schizophrenia patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Debora A Rothmond
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia
| | - Tertia D Purves-Tyson
- School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia
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31
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Boerrigter D, Weickert TW, Lenroot R, O'Donnell M, Galletly C, Liu D, Burgess M, Cadiz R, Jacomb I, Catts VS, Fillman SG, Weickert CS. Using blood cytokine measures to define high inflammatory biotype of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. J Neuroinflammation 2017; 14:188. [PMID: 28923068 PMCID: PMC5604300 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-017-0962-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Increases in pro-inflammatory cytokines are found in the brain and blood of people with schizophrenia. However, increased cytokines are not evident in all people with schizophrenia, but are found in a subset. The cytokine changes that best define this subset, termed the “elevated inflammatory biotype”, are still being identified. Methods Using quantitative RT-PCR, we measured five cytokine mRNAs (IL-1β, IL-2 IL-6, IL-8 and IL-18) from peripheral blood of healthy controls and of people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (n = 165). We used a cluster analysis of the transcript levels to define those with low and those with elevated levels of cytokine expression. From the same cohort, eight cytokine proteins (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IFNγ and TNFα) were measured in serum and plasma using a Luminex Magpix-based assay. We compared peripheral mRNA and protein levels across diagnostic groups and between those with low and elevated levels of cytokine expression according to our transcription-based cluster analysis. Results We found an overall decrease in the anti-inflammatory IL-2 mRNA (p = 0.006) and an increase in three serum cytokines, IL-6 (p = 0.010), IL-8 (p = 0.024) and TNFα (p < 0.001) in people with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls. A greater percentage of people with schizophrenia (48%) were categorised into the elevated inflammatory biotype compared to healthy controls (33%). The magnitude of increase in IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 mRNAs in people in the elevated inflammation biotype ranged from 100 to 220% of those in the non-elevated inflammatory biotype and was comparable between control and schizophrenia groups. Blood cytokine protein levels did not correlate with cytokine mRNA levels, and plasma levels of only two cytokines distinguished the elevated and low inflammatory biotypes, with IL-1β significantly increased in the elevated cytokine control group and IL-8 significantly increased in the elevated cytokine schizophrenia group. Conclusions Our results confirm that individuals with schizophrenia are more likely to have elevated levels of inflammation compared to controls. We suggest that efforts to define inflammatory status based on peripheral measures need to consider both mRNA and protein measures as each have distinct advantages and disadvantages and can yield different results. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12974-017-0962-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danny Boerrigter
- Neuroscience Research Australia, and Schizophrenia Research Institute, Barker Street, Randwick, New South Wales, 2031, Australia
| | - Thomas W Weickert
- Neuroscience Research Australia, and Schizophrenia Research Institute, Barker Street, Randwick, New South Wales, 2031, Australia.,School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rhoshel Lenroot
- Neuroscience Research Australia, and Schizophrenia Research Institute, Barker Street, Randwick, New South Wales, 2031, Australia.,School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Maryanne O'Donnell
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Cherrie Galletly
- Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Ramsay Health Care (SA) Mental Health, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Dennis Liu
- Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Martin Burgess
- Neuroscience Research Australia, and Schizophrenia Research Institute, Barker Street, Randwick, New South Wales, 2031, Australia
| | - Roxanne Cadiz
- Neuroscience Research Australia, and Schizophrenia Research Institute, Barker Street, Randwick, New South Wales, 2031, Australia
| | - Isabella Jacomb
- Neuroscience Research Australia, and Schizophrenia Research Institute, Barker Street, Randwick, New South Wales, 2031, Australia
| | - Vibeke S Catts
- Neuroscience Research Australia, and Schizophrenia Research Institute, Barker Street, Randwick, New South Wales, 2031, Australia.,School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Stu G Fillman
- Neuroscience Research Australia, and Schizophrenia Research Institute, Barker Street, Randwick, New South Wales, 2031, Australia.,School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Neuroscience Research Australia, and Schizophrenia Research Institute, Barker Street, Randwick, New South Wales, 2031, Australia. .,School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia.
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32
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Glass LJ, Sinclair D, Boerrigter D, Naude K, Fung SJ, Brown D, Catts VS, Tooney P, O'Donnell M, Lenroot R, Galletly C, Liu D, Weickert TW, Shannon Weickert C. Brain antibodies in the cortex and blood of people with schizophrenia and controls. Transl Psychiatry 2017; 7:e1192. [PMID: 28786974 PMCID: PMC5611715 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2017.134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Revised: 05/09/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The immune system is implicated in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, with elevated proinflammatory cytokine mRNAs found in the brains of ~40% of individuals with the disorder. However, it is not clear if antibodies (specifically immunoglobulin-γ (IgG)) can be found in the brain of people with schizophrenia and if their abundance relates to brain inflammatory cytokine mRNA levels. Therefore, we investigated the localization and abundance of IgG in the frontal cortex of people with schizophrenia and controls, and the impact of proinflammatory cytokine status on IgG abundance in these groups. Brain IgGs were detected surrounding blood vessels in the human and non-human primate frontal cortex by immunohistochemistry. IgG levels did not differ significantly between schizophrenia cases and controls, or between schizophrenia cases in 'high' and 'low' proinflammatory cytokine subgroups. Consistent with the existence of IgG in the parenchyma of human brain, mRNA and protein of the IgG transporter (FcGRT) were present in the brain, and did not differ according to diagnosis or inflammatory status. Finally, brain-reactive antibody presence and abundance was investigated in the blood of living people. The plasma of living schizophrenia patients and healthy controls contained antibodies that displayed positive binding to Rhesus macaque cerebellar tissue, and the abundance of these antibodies was significantly lower in patients than controls. These findings suggest that antibodies in the brain and brain-reactive antibodies in the blood are present under normal circumstances.
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Affiliation(s)
- L J Glass
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - D Sinclair
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia,School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - D Boerrigter
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - K Naude
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - S J Fung
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia,School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - D Brown
- St Vincent’s Centre for Applied Medical Research, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia,ICPMR, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - V S Catts
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia,School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - P Tooney
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
| | - M O'Donnell
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - R Lenroot
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia,School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - C Galletly
- Discipline of Psychiatry, Adelaide University, Adelaide, SA, Australia,Ramsay Health Care, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - D Liu
- Discipline of Psychiatry, Adelaide University, Adelaide, SA, Australia,Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - T W Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia,School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - C Shannon Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia,School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker Street, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia. E-mail:
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Andrews JL, Goodfellow FJ, Matosin N, Snelling MK, Newell KA, Huang XF, Fernandez-Enright F. Alterations of ubiquitin related proteins in the pathology and development of schizophrenia: Evidence from human and animal studies. J Psychiatr Res 2017; 90:31-39. [PMID: 28226265 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2017.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2015] [Revised: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 01/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Gene expression analyses in post-mortem schizophrenia brains suggest that a number of ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) genes are associated with schizophrenia; however the status of UPS proteins in the schizophrenia brain is largely unknown. Ubiquitin related proteins are inherently involved in memory, neuronal survival and morphology, which are processes implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia. We examined levels of five UPS proteins (Protein Inhibitor of Activated STAT2 [PIAS2], F-Box and Leucine rich repeat protein 21 [FBXL21], Mouse Double Minute 2 homolog [MDM2], Ubiquitin Carboxyl-Terminal Hydrolase-L1 [UCHL1] and Ubiquitin Conjugating Enzyme E2D1 [UBE2D1]) involved in these neuronal processes, within the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of post-mortem schizophrenia subjects and matched controls (n = 30/group), in addition to across neurodevelopmental time-points (juvenile, adolescent and adult stages of life), utilizing a well-established neurodevelopmental phencyclidine (PCP) animal model of schizophrenia. We observed significant reductions in PIAS2, FBXL21 and MDM2 in schizophrenia subjects compared to controls (p-values ranging from 0.002 to 0.004). In our developmental PCP model, MDM2 protein was significantly reduced in adult PCP-treated rats compared to controls (p = 0.034). Additionally, FBXL21 (p = 0.022) and UCHL1 (p = 0.022) were significantly decreased, whilst UBE2D1 was increased (p = 0.022), in juvenile phencyclidine-treated rats compared to controls. This is the first study reporting alterations of UPS proteins in post-mortem human schizophrenia subjects and in a neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia. The findings from this study provide strong support for a role of these UPS proteins in the pathology and development of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Andrews
- Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia.
| | - Frederic J Goodfellow
- Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
| | - Natalie Matosin
- Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia.
| | - Mollie K Snelling
- Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
| | - Kelly A Newell
- Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia.
| | - Xu-Feng Huang
- Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia.
| | - Francesca Fernandez-Enright
- Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia; Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
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Putative presynaptic dopamine dysregulation in schizophrenia is supported by molecular evidence from post-mortem human midbrain. Transl Psychiatry 2017; 7:e1003. [PMID: 28094812 PMCID: PMC5545725 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2016.257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2016] [Revised: 09/16/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia posits that increased subcortical dopamine underpins psychosis. In vivo imaging studies indicate an increased presynaptic dopamine synthesis capacity in striatal terminals and cell bodies in the midbrain in schizophrenia; however, measures of the dopamine-synthesising enzyme, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), have not identified consistent changes. We hypothesise that dopamine dysregulation in schizophrenia could result from changes in expression of dopamine synthesis enzymes, receptors, transporters or catabolic enzymes. Gene expression of 12 dopamine-related molecules was examined in post-mortem midbrain (28 antipsychotic-treated schizophrenia cases/29 controls) using quantitative PCR. TH and the synaptic dopamine transporter (DAT) proteins were examined in post-mortem midbrain (26 antipsychotic-treated schizophrenia cases per 27 controls) using immunoblotting. TH and aromatic acid decarboxylase (AADC) mRNA and TH protein were unchanged in the midbrain in schizophrenia compared with controls. Dopamine receptor D2 short, vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT2) and DAT mRNAs were significantly decreased in schizophrenia, with no change in DRD3 mRNA, DRD3nf mRNA and DAT protein between diagnostic groups. However, DAT protein was significantly increased in putatively treatment-resistant cases of schizophrenia compared to putatively treatment-responsive cases. Midbrain monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) mRNA was increased, whereas MAOB and catechol-O-methyl transferase mRNAs were unchanged in schizophrenia. We conclude that, whereas some mRNA changes are consistent with increased dopamine action (decreased DAT mRNA), others suggest reduced dopamine action (increased MAOA mRNA) in the midbrain in schizophrenia. Here, we identify a molecular signature of dopamine dysregulation in the midbrain in schizophrenia that mainly includes gene expression changes of molecules involved in dopamine synthesis and in regulating the time course of dopamine action.
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35
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Corley SM, Tsai SY, Wilkins MR, Shannon Weickert C. Transcriptomic Analysis Shows Decreased Cortical Expression of NR4A1, NR4A2 and RXRB in Schizophrenia and Provides Evidence for Nuclear Receptor Dysregulation. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0166944. [PMID: 27992436 PMCID: PMC5161508 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0166944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2016] [Accepted: 11/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Many genes are differentially expressed in the cortex of people with schizophrenia, implicating factors that control transcription more generally. Hormone nuclear receptors dimerize to coordinate context-dependent changes in gene expression. We hypothesized that members of two families of nuclear receptors (NR4As), and retinoid receptors (RARs and RXRs), are altered in the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of people with schizophrenia. We used next generation sequencing and then qPCR analysis to test for changes in mRNA levels for transcripts encoding nuclear receptors: orphan nuclear receptors (3 in the NR4A, 3 in the RAR, 3 in the RXR families and KLF4) in total RNA extracted from the DLPFC from people with schizophrenia compared to controls (n = 74). We also correlated mRNA levels with demographic factors and with estimates of antipsychotic drug exposure (schizophrenia group only). We tested for correlations between levels of transcription factor family members and levels of genes putatively regulated by these transcription factors. We found significantly down regulated expression of NR4A1 (Nurr 77) and KLF4 mRNAs in people with schizophrenia compared to controls, by both NGS and qPCR (p = or <0.01). We also detected decreases in NR4A2 (Nurr1) and RXRB mRNAs by using qPCR in the larger cohort (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). We detected decreased expression of RARG and NR4A2 mRNAs in females with schizophrenia (p<0.05). The mRNA levels of NR4A1, NR4A2 and NR4A3 were all negative correlated with lifetime estimates of antipsychotic exposure. These novel findings, which may be influenced by antipsychotic drug exposure, implicate the orphan and retinoid nuclear receptors in the cortical pathology found in schizophrenia. Genes down stream of these receptors can be dysregulated as well, but the direction of change is not immediately predictable based on the putative transcription factor changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan M. Corley
- Systems Biology Initiative, School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Shan-Yuan Tsai
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Randwick, NSW, Australia
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW, Australia
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Marc R. Wilkins
- Systems Biology Initiative, School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Randwick, NSW, Australia
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW, Australia
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales Sydney, NSW, Australia
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36
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Cortical grey matter volume reduction in people with schizophrenia is associated with neuro-inflammation. Transl Psychiatry 2016; 6:e982. [PMID: 27959331 PMCID: PMC5290336 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2016.238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Accepted: 09/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Cortical grey matter volume deficits and neuro-inflammation exist in patients with schizophrenia, although it is not clear whether elevated cytokines contribute to the cortical volume reduction. We quantified cortical and regional brain volumes in fixed postmortem brains from people with schizophrenia and matched controls using stereology. Interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, IL-8 and SERPINA3 messenger RNAs (mRNAs) were quantified in the contralateral fresh frozen orbitofrontal cortex. We found a small, but significant reduction in cortical grey matter (1.3%; F(1,85)=4.478, P=0.037) and superior frontal gyrus (6.5%; F(1,80)=5.700, P=0.019) volumes in individuals with schizophrenia compared with controls. Significantly reduced cortical grey matter (9.2%; F(1,24)=8.272, P=0.008) and superior frontal gyrus (13.9%; F(1,20)=5.374, P=0.031) volumes were found in cases with schizophrenia and 'high inflammation' status relative to schizophrenia cases with 'low inflammation' status in the prefrontal cortex. The expression of inflammatory mRNAs in the orbitofrontal cortex was significantly correlated with those in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (all r>0.417, all P<0.022), except for IL-8. Moreover, average daily and lifetime antipsychotic intake negatively correlated with cortical grey matter and superior frontal gyrus volumes (all r<-0.362, all P<0.05). The results suggest that the reduction in cortical grey matter volume in people with schizophrenia is exaggerated in those who have high expression of inflammatory cytokines. Further, antipsychotic medication intake does not appear to ameliorate the reduction in brain volume.
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37
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A splicing-regulatory polymorphism in DRD2 disrupts ZRANB2 binding, impairs cognitive functioning and increases risk for schizophrenia in six Han Chinese samples. Mol Psychiatry 2016; 21:975-82. [PMID: 26347318 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2015.137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2014] [Revised: 08/03/2015] [Accepted: 08/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The rs1076560 polymorphism of DRD2 (encoding dopamine receptor D2) is associated with alternative splicing and cognitive functioning; however, a mechanistic relationship to schizophrenia has not been shown. Here, we demonstrate that rs1076560(T) imparts a small but reliable risk for schizophrenia in a sample of 616 affected families and five independent replication samples totaling 4017 affected and 4704 unaffected individuals (odds ratio=1.1; P=0.004). rs1076560(T) was associated with impaired verbal fluency and comprehension in schizophrenia but improved performance among healthy comparison subjects. rs1076560(T) also associated with lower D2 short isoform expression in postmortem brain. rs1076560(T) disrupted a binding site for the splicing factor ZRANB2, diminished binding affinity between DRD2 pre-mRNA and ZRANB2 and abolished the ability of ZRANB2 to modulate short:long isoform-expression ratios of DRD2 minigenes in cell culture. Collectively, this work implicates rs1076560(T) as one possible risk factor for schizophrenia in the Han Chinese population, and suggests molecular mechanisms by which it may exert such influence.
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Molecular evidence of synaptic pathology in the CA1 region in schizophrenia. NPJ SCHIZOPHRENIA 2016; 2:16022. [PMID: 27430010 PMCID: PMC4944906 DOI: 10.1038/npjschz.2016.22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2016] [Revised: 05/21/2016] [Accepted: 05/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Alterations of postsynaptic density (PSD)95-complex proteins in schizophrenia ostensibly induce deficits in synaptic plasticity, the molecular process underlying cognitive functions. Although some PSD95-complex proteins have been previously examined in the hippocampus in schizophrenia, the status of other equally important molecules is unclear. This is especially true in the cornu ammonis (CA)1 hippocampal subfield, a region that is critically involved in the pathophysiology of the illness. We thus performed a quantitative immunoblot experiment to examine PSD95 and several of its associated proteins in the CA1 region, using post mortem brain samples derived from schizophrenia subjects with age-, sex-, and post mortem interval-matched controls (n=20/group). Our results indicate a substantial reduction in PSD95 protein expression (-61.8%). Further analysis showed additional alterations to the scaffold protein Homer1 (Homer1a: +42.9%, Homer1b/c: -24.6%), with a twofold reduction in the ratio of Homer1b/c:Homer1a isoforms (P=0.011). Metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (mGluR1) protein levels were significantly reduced (-32.7%), and Preso, a protein that supports interactions between Homer1 or PSD95 with mGluR1, was elevated (+83.3%). Significant reduction in synaptophysin (-27.8%) was also detected, which is a validated marker of synaptic density. These findings support the presence of extensive molecular abnormalities to PSD95 and several of its associated proteins in the CA1 region in schizophrenia, offering a small but significant step toward understanding how proteins in the PSD are altered in the schizophrenia brain, and their relevance to overall hippocampal and cognitive dysfunction in the illness.
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Dean B, Udawela M, Scarr E. Validating reference genes using minimally transformed qpcr data: findings in human cortex and outcomes in schizophrenia. BMC Psychiatry 2016; 16:154. [PMID: 27206773 PMCID: PMC4875643 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-016-0855-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2015] [Accepted: 05/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is common practice, when using quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), to normalise levels of mRNA to reference gene mRNA which, by definition, should not vary between tissue, with any disease aetiology or after drug treatments. The complexity of human CNS means it unlikely that any gene could fulfil these criteria. METHODS To address this issue we measured levels of mRNA for six potential reference genes (GAPDH, PPIA, SNCA, NOL9, TFB1M and SKP1) in three cortical regions (Brodmann's areas (BA) 8, 9 and 44) from 30 subjects with schizophrenia and 30 age and sex matched controls. We used a structured statistical approach to examine the characteristics of these data to determine their suitability as reference genes. We also analysed our data using reference genes selected by rank as defined using the average of the standard deviation of pair-gene ΔCt and the BestKeeper, NormFinder and geNorm algorithms to determine if they suggested the same reference genes. RESULTS Our minimally derived data showed that levels of mRNA for all of the six genes varied between cortical regions and therefore no gene fulfilled the absolute requirements for use as reference genes. As levels of some mRNA for some genes did not vary with diagnoses within a cortical region from subjects with schizophrenia compared to controls, we normalised levels of mRNA for all the other genes to mRNA for one, two or three reference genes in each cortical region. This showed that using the geometric mean of at least two reference genes gave more reproducible results. Finally, using the reference gene ranking protocols the average of the standard deviation of pair-gene ΔCt, BestKeeper, NormFinder and geNorm we showed that these approaches ranked potential reference genes differently. We then showed that outcomes of comparing data from subjects with schizophrenia and controls varied depending on the reference genes chosen. CONCLUSIONS Our data shows that the selection of reference genes is a significant component of qPCR study design and therefore the process by which reference genes are selected must be clearly listed as a potential confound in studying gene expression in human CNS. This should include showing that, using minimally derived qPCR data, levels of mRNA for proposed reference genes does not vary with variables such as diagnoses and CNS region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Dean
- The Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia. .,The Division of Biological Psychiatry and Mental Health and the Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, The Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, 30 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
| | - Madhara Udawela
- The Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC Australia
| | - Elizabeth Scarr
- The Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC Australia ,The Department of Psychiatry, the University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Sutherland G, Sheedy D, Stevens J, McCrossin T, Smith C, van Roijen M, Kril J. The NSW brain tissue resource centre: Banking for alcohol and major neuropsychiatric disorders research. Alcohol 2016; 52:33-39. [PMID: 27139235 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2016.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2016] [Accepted: 02/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The New South Wales Brain Tissue Resource Centre (NSWBTRC) at the University of Sydney (Australia) is an established human brain bank providing tissue to the neuroscience research community for investigations on alcohol-related brain damage and major psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia. The NSWBTRC relies on wide community engagement to encourage those with and without neuropsychiatric illness to consent to donation through its allied research programs. The subsequent provision of high-quality samples relies on standardized operational protocols, associated clinical data, quality control measures, integrated information systems, robust infrastructure, and governance. These processes are continually augmented to complement the changes in internal and external governance as well as the complexity and diversity of advanced investigation techniques. This report provides an overview of the dynamic process of brain banking and discusses the challenges of meeting the future needs of researchers, including synchronicity with other disease-focus collections.
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Association of serum VEGF levels with prefrontal cortex volume in schizophrenia. Mol Psychiatry 2016; 21:686-92. [PMID: 26169975 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2015.96] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2015] [Revised: 05/05/2015] [Accepted: 06/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
A large body of evidence indicates alterations in brain regional cellular energy metabolism and blood flow in schizophrenia. Among the different molecules regulating blood flow, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is generally accepted as the major factor involved in the process of angiogenesis. In the present study, we examined whether peripheral VEGF levels correlate with changes in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) volume in patients with schizophrenia and in healthy controls. Whole-blood samples were obtained from 96 people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and 83 healthy controls. Serum VEGF protein levels were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, whereas quantitative PCR was performed to measure interleukin-6 (IL-6, a pro-inflammatory marker implicated in schizophrenia) mRNA levels in the blood samples. Structural magnetic resonance imaging scans were obtained using a 3T Achieva scanner on a subset of 59 people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and 65 healthy controls, and prefrontal volumes were obtained using FreeSurfer software. As compared with healthy controls, individuals with schizophrenia had a significant increase in log-transformed mean serum VEGF levels (t(177)=2.9, P=0.005). A significant inverse correlation (r=-0.40, P=0.002) between serum VEGF and total frontal pole volume was found in patients with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder. Moreover, we observed a significant positive association (r=0.24, P=0.03) between serum VEGF and IL-6 mRNA levels in patients with schizophrenia. These findings suggest an association between serum VEGF and inflammation, and that serum VEGF levels are related to structural abnormalities in the PFC of people with schizophrenia.
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Morris RW, Purves-Tyson TD, Weickert CS, Rothmond D, Lenroot R, Weickert TW. Testosterone and reward prediction-errors in healthy men and men with schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2015; 168:649-60. [PMID: 26232868 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2015.06.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2015] [Revised: 06/09/2015] [Accepted: 06/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Sex hormones impact reward processing, which is dysfunctional in schizophrenia; however, the degree to which testosterone levels relate to reward-related brain activity in healthy men and the extent to which this relationship may be altered in men with schizophrenia has not been determined. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure neural responses in the striatum during reward prediction-errors and hormone assays to measure testosterone and prolactin in serum. To determine if testosterone can have a direct effect on dopamine neurons, we also localized and measured androgen receptors in human midbrain with immunohistochemistry and quantitative PCR. We found correlations between testosterone and prediction-error related activity in the ventral striatum of healthy men, but not in men with schizophrenia, such that testosterone increased the size of positive and negative prediction-error related activity in a valence-specific manner. We also identified midbrain dopamine neurons that were androgen receptor immunoreactive, and found that androgen receptor (AR) mRNA was positively correlated with tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) mRNA in human male substantia nigra. The results suggest that sex steroid receptors can potentially influence midbrain dopamine biosynthesis, and higher levels of serum testosterone are linked to better discrimination of motivationally-relevant signals in the ventral striatum, putatively by modulation of the dopamine biosynthesis pathway via AR ligand binding. However, the normal relationship between serum testosterone and ventral striatum activity during reward learning appears to be disrupted in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- R W Morris
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker St, Randwick, New South Wales 2031, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Institute, Liverpool St, Darlinghurst, New South Wales 2010, Australia; School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Hospital Rd, New South Wales 2031, Australia
| | - T D Purves-Tyson
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker St, Randwick, New South Wales 2031, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Institute, Liverpool St, Darlinghurst, New South Wales 2010, Australia; School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, New South Wales 2031, Australia
| | - C Shannon Weickert
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker St, Randwick, New South Wales 2031, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Institute, Liverpool St, Darlinghurst, New South Wales 2010, Australia; School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Hospital Rd, New South Wales 2031, Australia
| | - D Rothmond
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker St, Randwick, New South Wales 2031, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Institute, Liverpool St, Darlinghurst, New South Wales 2010, Australia; School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Hospital Rd, New South Wales 2031, Australia
| | - R Lenroot
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker St, Randwick, New South Wales 2031, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Institute, Liverpool St, Darlinghurst, New South Wales 2010, Australia; School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Hospital Rd, New South Wales 2031, Australia
| | - T W Weickert
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker St, Randwick, New South Wales 2031, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Institute, Liverpool St, Darlinghurst, New South Wales 2010, Australia; School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Hospital Rd, New South Wales 2031, Australia.
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Purves-Tyson TD, Allen K, Fung S, Rothmond D, Noble PL, Handelsman DJ, Shannon Weickert C. Adolescent testosterone influences BDNF and TrkB mRNA and neurotrophin-interneuron marker relationships in mammalian frontal cortex. Schizophr Res 2015; 168:661-70. [PMID: 26088421 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2015.05.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2015] [Revised: 05/11/2015] [Accepted: 05/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Late adolescence in males is a period of increased susceptibility for the onset of schizophrenia, coinciding with increased circulating testosterone. The cognitive deficits prevalent in schizophrenia may be related to unhealthy cortical interneurons, which are trophically dependent on brain derived neurotrophic factor. We investigated, under conditions of depleted (monkey and rat) and replaced (rat) testosterone over adolescence, changes in gene expression of cortical BDNF and TrkB transcripts and interneuron markers and the relationships between these mRNAs and circulating testosterone. Testosterone removal by gonadectomy reduced gene expression of some BDNF transcripts in monkey and rat frontal cortices and the BDNF mRNA reduction was prevented by testosterone replacement. In rat, testosterone replacement increased the potential for classical TrkB signalling by increasing the full length to truncated TrkB mRNA ratio, whereas in the monkey cortex, circulating testosterone was negatively correlated with the TrkB full length/truncated mRNA ratio. We did not identify changes in interneuron gene expression in monkey frontal cortex in response to gonadectomy, and in rat, we showed that only somatostatin mRNA was decreased by gonadectomy but not restored by testosterone replacement. We identified complex and possibly species-specific, relationships between BDNF/TrkB gene expression and interneuron marker gene expression that appear to be dependent on the presence of testosterone at adolescence in rat and monkey frontal cortices. Taken together, our findings suggest there are dynamic relationships between BDNF/TrkB and interneuron markers that are dependent on the presence of testosterone but that this may not be a straightforward increase in testosterone leading to changes in BDNF/TrkB that contributes to interneuron health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tertia D Purves-Tyson
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney 2021, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney 2031, Australia; School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2031, Australia
| | - Katherine Allen
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney 2021, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney 2031, Australia; School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2031, Australia
| | - Samantha Fung
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney 2021, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney 2031, Australia; School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2031, Australia
| | - Debora Rothmond
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney 2021, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney 2031, Australia
| | | | | | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney 2021, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney 2031, Australia; School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2031, Australia
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Pundir AS, Singh UA, Ahuja N, Makhija S, Dikshit PC, Radotra B, Kumar P, Shankar SK, Mahadevan A, Roy TS, Iyengar S. Growth and refinement of excitatory synapses in the human auditory cortex. Brain Struct Funct 2015; 221:3641-74. [PMID: 26438332 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-015-1124-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2014] [Accepted: 09/25/2015] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
We had earlier demonstrated a neurofilament-rich plexus of axons in the presumptive human auditory cortex during fetal development which became adult-like during infancy. To elucidate the origin of these axons, we studied the expression of the vesicular glutamate transporters (VGLUT) 1 and 2 in the human auditory cortex at different stages of development. While VGLUT-1 expression predominates in intrinsic and cortico-cortical synapses, VGLUT-2 expression predominates in thalamocortical synapses. Levels of VGLUT-2 mRNA were higher in the auditory cortex before birth compared to postnatal development. In contrast, levels of VGLUT-1 mRNA were low before birth and increased during postnatal development to peak during childhood and then began to decrease in adolescence. Both VGLUT-1 and VGLUT-2 proteins were present in the human auditory cortex as early as 15GW. Further, immunohistochemistry revealed that the supra- and infragranular layers were more immunoreactive for VGLUT-1 compared to that in Layer IV at 34GW and this pattern was maintained until adulthood. As for VGLUT-1 mRNA, VGLUT-1 synapses increased in density between prenatal development and childhood in the human auditory cortex after which they appeared to undergo attrition or pruning. The adult pattern of VGLUT-2 immunoreactivity (a dense band of VGLUT-2-positive terminals in Layer IV) also began to appear in the presumptive Heschl's gyrus at 34GW. The density of VGLUT-2-positive puncta in Layer IV increased between prenatal development and adolescence, followed by a decrease in adulthood, suggesting that thalamic axons which innervate the human auditory cortex undergo pruning comparatively late in development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arvind Singh Pundir
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, National Brain Research Centre (Deemed University), NH-8, Manesar, Gurgaon, Haryana, 122051, India
| | - Utkarsha A Singh
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, National Brain Research Centre (Deemed University), NH-8, Manesar, Gurgaon, Haryana, 122051, India
| | - Nikhil Ahuja
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, National Brain Research Centre (Deemed University), NH-8, Manesar, Gurgaon, Haryana, 122051, India
| | - Sonal Makhija
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, National Brain Research Centre (Deemed University), NH-8, Manesar, Gurgaon, Haryana, 122051, India
| | - P C Dikshit
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi, 110002, India
| | - Bishan Radotra
- Department of Histopathology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Sector-12, Chandigarh, 160012, India
| | - Praveen Kumar
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Base Hospital, Delhi Cantonment, Delhi, 110010, India
| | - S K Shankar
- Department of Neuropathology, National Institute of Mental Health and Allied Sciences, Hosur Road, Bangalore, 560029, India
| | - Anita Mahadevan
- Department of Neuropathology, National Institute of Mental Health and Allied Sciences, Hosur Road, Bangalore, 560029, India
| | - T S Roy
- Department of Anatomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, 110002, India
| | - Soumya Iyengar
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, National Brain Research Centre (Deemed University), NH-8, Manesar, Gurgaon, Haryana, 122051, India.
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Matosin N, Fernandez-Enright F, Fung SJ, Lum JS, Engel M, Andrews JL, Huang XF, Weickert CS, Newell KA. Alterations of mGluR5 and its endogenous regulators Norbin, Tamalin and Preso1 in schizophrenia: towards a model of mGluR5 dysregulation. Acta Neuropathol 2015; 130:119-29. [PMID: 25778620 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-015-1411-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2014] [Revised: 03/09/2015] [Accepted: 03/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Knockout of genes encoding metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) or its endogenous regulators, such as Norbin, induce a schizophrenia-like phenotype in rodents, suggesting dysregulation of mGluR5 in schizophrenia. Human genetic and pharmacological animal studies support this hypothesis, but no studies have explored mGluR5 dysfunction at the molecular level in the postmortem schizophrenia brain. We assessed mGluR5 mRNA and protein levels in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) using a large cohort of schizophrenia and control subjects (n = 37/group), and additionally measured protein levels of recently discovered mGluR5 endogenous regulators, Norbin (neurochondrin), Tamalin (GRASP-1), and Preso1 (FRMPD4), which regulate mGluR5 localization, internalization and signaling. While mGluR5 mRNA expression was unchanged, mGluR5 protein levels were significantly higher in schizophrenia subjects compared to controls (total: +22%; dimer: +54%; p < 0.001). Conversely, mGluR5 regulatory proteins were expressed at lower levels in schizophrenia subjects compared to controls (Norbin -37%, p < 0.001; Tamalin -30%, p = 0.084; Preso1 -29%, p = 0.001). mGluR5 protein was significantly associated with mGluR5 mRNA and mGluR5 endogenous regulators in control subjects, but these associations were lost in schizophrenia subjects. Lastly, there were no associations between protein measures and lifetime antipsychotic history in schizophrenia subjects. To confirm no antipsychotic influence, all proteins were measured in the prefrontal cortex of rats exposed to haloperidol or olanzapine; there were no effects of antipsychotic drug treatment on mGluR5, Norbin, Tamalin or Preso1. The results from our study provide compelling evidence that mGluR5 regulation is altered in schizophrenia, likely contributing to the altered glutamatergic signaling that is associated with the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Matosin
- Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
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Barry G, Guennewig B, Fung S, Kaczorowski D, Weickert CS. Long Non-Coding RNA Expression during Aging in the Human Subependymal Zone. Front Neurol 2015; 6:45. [PMID: 25806019 PMCID: PMC4353253 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2015.00045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2014] [Accepted: 02/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The human subependymal zone (SEZ) is debatably a source of newly born neurons throughout life and neurogenesis is a multi-step process requiring distinct transcripts during cell proliferation and early neuronal maturation, along with orchestrated changes in gene expression during cell state/fate transitions. Furthermore, it is becoming increasingly clear that the majority of our genome that results in production of non-protein-coding RNAs plays vital roles in the evolution, development, adaptation, and region-specific function of the human brain. We predicted that some transcripts expressed in the SEZ may be unique to this specialized brain region, and that a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of this region would aid in defining expression changes during neuronal birth and growth in adult humans. Here, we used deep RNA sequencing of human SEZ tissue during adulthood and aging to characterize the transcriptional landscape with a particular emphasis on long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). The data show predicted age-related changes in mRNAs encoding proliferation, progenitor, and inflammatory proteins as well as a unique subset of lncRNAs that are highly expressed in the human SEZ, many of which have unknown functions. Our results suggest the existence of robust proliferative and neuronal differentiation potential in the adult human SEZ and lay the foundation for understanding the involvement of lncRNAs in postnatal neurogenesis and potentially associated neurodevelopmental diseases that emerge after birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guy Barry
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research , Sydney, NSW , Australia ; St Vincent's Clinical School and School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales , Sydney, NSW , Australia
| | - Boris Guennewig
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research , Sydney, NSW , Australia ; St Vincent's Clinical School and School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales , Sydney, NSW , Australia
| | - Samantha Fung
- Schizophrenia Research Institute , Sydney, NSW , Australia ; Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia , Sydney, NSW , Australia ; School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales , Sydney, NSW , Australia
| | | | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Institute , Sydney, NSW , Australia ; Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia , Sydney, NSW , Australia ; School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales , Sydney, NSW , Australia
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Relationship between somatostatin and death receptor expression in the orbital frontal cortex in schizophrenia: a postmortem brain mRNA study. NPJ SCHIZOPHRENIA 2015; 1:14004. [PMID: 27336026 PMCID: PMC4849439 DOI: 10.1038/npjschz.2014.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2014] [Revised: 10/20/2014] [Accepted: 10/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Background: Recently, we provided evidence showing reductions in GAD67 and Dlx mRNAs in the orbital frontal cortex (OFC) in schizophrenia. It is unknown whether these reductions relate mainly to somatostatin (SST) or parvalbumin (PV) mRNA expression changes, and/or whether these reductions are related to decreased SST mRNA+ interneuron density. Aims: To determine whether inhibitory interneuron deficits in the OFC from people with schizophrenia are greatest for SST or PV mRNAs, and whether any such deficits relate to mRNAs encoding cell death signalling molecules. Methods: Inhibitory interneuron mRNAs (SST; PV: in situ hybridization, quantitative PCR (qPCR)) and death signaling mRNAs [FAS receptor (FASR); TNFSF13: qPCR] were measured in control and schizophrenia subjects (38/38). SST mRNA+ interneuron-like cells were quantified in layer II in the gyrus rectus. Gray matter SST and PV mRNAs were correlated with interstitial white matter neuron (IWMN) density (GAD65/67; NeuN) and death signaling mRNAs. Results: SST mRNA was reduced in OFC layers I–VI in schizophrenia (both in situ and qPCR), with greatest deficit in layer II (67%). Layer II SST mRNA+ neuron density was reduced in schizophrenia (~29%). PV mRNA was reduced in layers III (18%) and IV (31%) with no significant diagnostic difference in PV mRNA measured by qPCR. FASR mRNA was increased in schizophrenia (34%). SST, but not PV, expression correlated negatively with FASR and TNFSF13 expressions and with IWMN density. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that SST interneurons are predominantly linked to the inhibitory interneuron pathology in the OFC in schizophrenia and that increased death receptor signaling mRNAs relate to prominent laminar deficits in SST mRNA in the OFC in schizophrenia. We suggest that SST interneurons may be more vulnerable to increased death receptor signaling than PV interneurons.
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Catts VS, Wong J, Fillman SG, Fung SJ, Shannon Weickert C. Increased expression of astrocyte markers in schizophrenia: Association with neuroinflammation. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 2014; 48:722-34. [PMID: 24744400 DOI: 10.1177/0004867414531078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE While schizophrenia may have a progressive component, the evidence for neurodegenerative processes as indicated by reactive astrocytes is inconclusive. We recently identified a subgroup of individuals with schizophrenia with increased expression of inflammatory markers in prefrontal cortex, and hypothesized that this subgroup would also have reactive astrocytes. METHOD We measured glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) mRNA by quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and protein levels by immunoblotting in grey matter homogenate from 37 individuals with schizophrenia and 37 unaffected controls. We examined the morphology of GFAP-positive astrocytes in immunostained sections of middle frontal gyrus. We tested if GFAP expression or astrocyte morphology were altered in people with schizophrenia with increased expression of inflammatory markers. We used RNA-Seq data on a subset of patients and controls (n=20/group) to ascertain whether mRNA transcripts associated with astrogliosis were elevated in the individuals with active neuroinflammation. RESULTS GFAP (mRNA and protein) levels and astrocyte morphology were not significantly different between people with schizophrenia and controls overall. However, individuals with schizophrenia with neuroinflammation had increased expression of GFAP mRNA (t(33)=2.978, p=0.005), hypertrophic astrocyte morphology (χ(2)(2)=6.281, p=0.043), and statistically significant elevated expression of three mRNA transcripts previously associated with astrogliosis. CONCLUSIONS We found clear evidence of astrogliosis in a subset of people with schizophrenia. We suggest that the lack of astrogliosis reported in previous studies may be due to cohort differences in aetiopathology, illness stage, treatment exposure, or a failure to examine subsets of people with schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vibeke Sørensen Catts
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, Australia Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jenny Wong
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Stu Gregory Fillman
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, Australia Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Samantha Jane Fung
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, Australia Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, Australia Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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Joshi D, Fullerton JM, Weickert CS. Elevated ErbB4 mRNA is related to interneuron deficit in prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia. J Psychiatr Res 2014; 53:125-32. [PMID: 24636039 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2014.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2013] [Revised: 02/17/2014] [Accepted: 02/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Neuregulin 1 and its receptor ErbB4 are confirmed risk genes for schizophrenia, but the neuropathological alterations in NRG1-ErbB4 in schizophrenia are unclear. The present investigations therefore focused on determining lamina specific (ErbB4-pan) and quantitative (pan, JMa, JMb, CYT1 and CYT2) ErbB4 mRNA changes in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in schizophrenia. We also determined which neuronal profiles are ErbB4 mRNA+ in the human DLPFC and the relationship between ErbB4 and interneuron marker mRNAs. In situ hybridisation and quantitative PCR measurements were performed to determine changes in ErbB4 splice variant mRNA levels in the DLPFC in schizophrenia (n = 37) compared to control (n = 37) subjects. Cortical neurons expressing ErbB4-pan were labelled with silver grain clusters. Correlations were performed between ErbB4 and interneuron mRNA levels. ErbB4-pan mRNA was significantly increased (layers I, II and V) in the DLPFC in schizophrenia. Silver grain clusters for ErbB4-pan were detected predominantly over small-medium neurons with low-no expression in the larger, paler, more triangular neuronal profiles. ErbB4-JMa mRNA expression was increased in schizophrenia. Somatostatin, neuropeptide Y and vasoactive intestinal peptide mRNAs negatively correlated with ErbB4-JMa mRNA in people with schizophrenia. Our findings demonstrate that ErbB4-pan laminar mRNA expression is elevated (layers I, II, V) in schizophrenia. At the cellular level, ErbB4-pan mRNA+ signal was detected predominantly in interneuron-like neurons. We provide evidence from this independent Australian postmortem cohort that ErbB4-JMa expression is elevated in schizophrenia and is linked to deficits in dendrite-targeting somatostatin, neuropeptide Y and vasoactive intestinal peptide interneurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipesh Joshi
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Liverpool St, Darlinghurst, NSW 2011, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker St, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia; School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Janice M Fullerton
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Liverpool St, Darlinghurst, NSW 2011, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker St, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia; School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Liverpool St, Darlinghurst, NSW 2011, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Barker St, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia; School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
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Oldmeadow C, Mossman D, Evans TJ, Holliday EG, Tooney PA, Cairns MJ, Wu J, Carr V, Attia JR, Scott RJ. Combined analysis of exon splicing and genome wide polymorphism data predict schizophrenia risk loci. J Psychiatr Res 2014; 52:44-9. [PMID: 24507884 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2014.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2013] [Revised: 12/30/2013] [Accepted: 01/14/2014] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia has a strong genetic basis, and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have shown that effect sizes for individual genetic variants which increase disease risk are small, making detection and validation of true disease-associated risk variants extremely challenging. Specifically, we first identify genes with exons showing differential expression between cases and controls, indicating a splicing mechanism that may contribute to variation in disease risk and focus on those showing consistent differential expression between blood and brain tissue. We then perform a genome-wide screen for SNPs associated with both normalised exon intensity of these genes (so called splicing QTLs) as well as association with schizophrenia. We identified a number of significantly associated loci with a biologically plausible role in schizophrenia, including MCPH1, DLG3, ZC3H13, and BICD2, and additional loci that influence splicing of these genes, including YWHAH. Our approach of integrating genome-wide exon intensity with genome-wide polymorphism data has identified a number of plausible SZ associated loci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Oldmeadow
- Hunter Medical Research Institute and Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
| | - David Mossman
- Hunter Medical Research Institute and Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Tiffany-Jane Evans
- Hunter Medical Research Institute and Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia
| | - Elizabeth G Holliday
- Hunter Medical Research Institute and Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia
| | - Paul A Tooney
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Murray J Cairns
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jingqin Wu
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia; Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Vaughan Carr
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Research Unit for Schizophrenia Epidemiology, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Australia
| | - John R Attia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute and Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia
| | - Rodney J Scott
- Hunter Medical Research Institute and Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia; Division of Molecular Medicine, Hunter Area Pathology Service, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
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