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Zhang X, Li Y, Ma L, Zhang G, Liu M, Wang C, Zheng Y, Li R. A new sex-specific underlying mechanism for female schizophrenia: accelerated skewed X chromosome inactivation. Biol Sex Differ 2020; 11:39. [PMID: 32680558 PMCID: PMC7368719 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-020-00315-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND X chromosome inactivation (XCI) is the mechanism by which the X-linked gene dosage is adjusted between the sexes. Evidence shows that many sex-specific diseases have their basis in X chromosome biology. While female schizophrenia patients often have a delayed age of disease onset and clinical phenotypes that are different from those of males, it is unknown whether the sex differences in schizophrenia are associated with X-linked gene dosage and the choice of X chromosome silencing in female cells. Previous studies demonstrated that sex chromosome aneuploidies may be related to the pathogeneses of some psychiatric diseases. Here, we examined the changes in skewed XCI in patients with schizophrenia. METHODS A total of 109 female schizophrenia (SCZ) patients and 80 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (CNTLs) were included in this study. We evaluated clinical features including disease onset age, disease duration, clinical symptoms by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and antipsychotic treatment dosages. The XCI skewing patterns were analyzed by the methylation profile of the HUMARA gene found in DNA isolated from SCZ patient and CNTL leukocytes in the three age groups. RESULTS First, we found that the frequency of skewed XCI in SCZ patients was 4 times more than that in the age- and sex-matched CNTLs (p < 0.01). Second, we found an earlier onset of severe XCI skewing in the SCZ patients than in CNTLs. Third, we demonstrated a close relationship between the severity of skewed XCI and schizophrenic symptoms (PANSS score ≥ 90) as well as the age of disease onset. Fourth, we demonstrated that the skewed XCI in SCZ patients was not transmitted from the patients' mothers. LIMITATIONS The XCI skewing pattern might differ depending on tissues or organs. Although this is the first study to explore skewed XCI in SCZ, in the future, samples from different tissues or cells in SCZ patients might be important for understanding the impact of skewed XCI in this disease. CONCLUSION Our study, for the first time, investigated skewed XCI in female SCZ patients and presented a potential mechanism for the sex differences in SCZ. Our data also suggested that XCI might be a potential target for the development of female-specific interventions for SCZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinzhu Zhang
- Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Ministry of Science and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuhong Li
- Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Ministry of Science and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Ma
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Guofu Zhang
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Min Liu
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Chuanyue Wang
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Zheng
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Rena Li
- Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Ministry of Science and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. .,The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
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Accogli A, Yang R, Blain-Juste ME, Braverman N, Shah J, Trakadis Y. SHANK3 Mutation and Mosaic Turner Syndrome in a Female Patient With Intellectual Disability and Psychiatric Features. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 2020; 31:272-275. [PMID: 30888922 DOI: 10.1176/appi.neuropsych.18100228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Accogli
- The Department of Medical Genetics, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal (Accogli, Yang, Trakadis); the Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Pediatrics, McGill University, Montreal (Accogli); the DINOGMI-Università di Genova, Italy (Accogli); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal (Blain-Juste, Shah); and the Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal (Braverman, Trakadis)
| | - Richard Yang
- The Department of Medical Genetics, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal (Accogli, Yang, Trakadis); the Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Pediatrics, McGill University, Montreal (Accogli); the DINOGMI-Università di Genova, Italy (Accogli); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal (Blain-Juste, Shah); and the Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal (Braverman, Trakadis)
| | - Marie-Eve Blain-Juste
- The Department of Medical Genetics, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal (Accogli, Yang, Trakadis); the Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Pediatrics, McGill University, Montreal (Accogli); the DINOGMI-Università di Genova, Italy (Accogli); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal (Blain-Juste, Shah); and the Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal (Braverman, Trakadis)
| | - Nancy Braverman
- The Department of Medical Genetics, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal (Accogli, Yang, Trakadis); the Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Pediatrics, McGill University, Montreal (Accogli); the DINOGMI-Università di Genova, Italy (Accogli); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal (Blain-Juste, Shah); and the Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal (Braverman, Trakadis)
| | - Jai Shah
- The Department of Medical Genetics, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal (Accogli, Yang, Trakadis); the Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Pediatrics, McGill University, Montreal (Accogli); the DINOGMI-Università di Genova, Italy (Accogli); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal (Blain-Juste, Shah); and the Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal (Braverman, Trakadis)
| | - Yannis Trakadis
- The Department of Medical Genetics, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal (Accogli, Yang, Trakadis); the Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Pediatrics, McGill University, Montreal (Accogli); the DINOGMI-Università di Genova, Italy (Accogli); the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal (Blain-Juste, Shah); and the Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal (Braverman, Trakadis)
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Zhang X, Yang J, Li Y, Ma X, Li R. Sex chromosome abnormalities and psychiatric diseases. Oncotarget 2018; 8:3969-3979. [PMID: 27992373 PMCID: PMC5354807 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.13962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2016] [Accepted: 12/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Excesses of sex chromosome abnormalities in patients with psychiatric diseases have recently been observed. It remains unclear whether sex chromosome abnormalities are related to sex differences in some psychiatric diseases. While studies showed evidence of susceptibility loci over many sex chromosomal regions related to various mental diseases, others demonstrated that the sex chromosome aneuploidies may be the key to exploring the pathogenesis of psychiatric disease. In this review, we will outline the current evidence on the interaction of sex chromosome abnormalities with schizophrenia, autism, ADHD and mood disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinzhu Zhang
- Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Yang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yuhong Li
- Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Ma
- Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Rena Li
- Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Beijing, China.,Center for Hormone Advanced Science and Education, Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, USA
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Crow TJ. The XY gene hypothesis of psychosis: origins and current status. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2013; 162B:800-24. [PMID: 24123874 PMCID: PMC4065359 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2011] [Accepted: 08/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Sex differences in psychosis and their interaction with laterality (systematic departures from 50:50 left-right symmetry across the antero-posterior neural axis) are reviewed in the context of the X-Y gene hypothesis. Aspects of laterality (handedness/cerebral asymmetry/the torque) predict (1) verbal and non-verbal ability in childhood and across adult life and (2) anatomical, physiological, and linguistic variation relating to psychosis. Neuropsychological and MRI evidence from individuals with sex chromosome aneuploidies indicates that laterality is associated with an X-Y homologous gene pair. Within each mammalian species the complement of such X-Y gene pairs reflects their potential to account for taxon-specific sexual dimorphisms. As a consequence of the mechanism of meiotic suppression of unpaired chromosomes such X-Y gene pairs generate epigenetic variation around a species defining motif that is carried to the zygote with potential to initiate embryonic gene expression in XX or XY format. The Protocadherin11XY (PCDH11XY) gene pair in Xq21.3/Yp11.2 in probable coordination with a gene or genes within PAR2 (the second pseudo-autosomal region) is the prime candidate in relation to cerebral asymmetry and psychosis in Homo sapiens. The lately-described pattern of sequence variation associated with psychosis on the autosomes may reflect a component of the human genome's adjustment to selective pressures generated by the sexually dimorphic mate recognition system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J Crow
- Department of Psychiatry, SANE POWIC, Warneford Hospital, University of OxfordOxford, UK
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