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Petric PS, Ifteni P, Miron AA, Sechel G, Teodorescu A. Brain Abnormalities in Schizophrenia: A Comparative Imagistic Study. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2024; 60:564. [PMID: 38674210 PMCID: PMC11052149 DOI: 10.3390/medicina60040564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Neuroimaging reveals a link between psychiatric conditions and brain structural-functional changes, prompting a paradigm shift in viewing schizophrenia as a neurodevelopmental disorder. This study aims to identify and compare structural brain changes found during the first schizophrenia episode with those found after more than 5 years of illness. Materials and Methods: This prospective study involved 149 participants enrolled between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2021. The participants were categorized into three groups: the first comprises 51 individuals with an initial psychotic episode, the second consists of 49 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia for over 5 years, and a control group comprising 50 individuals without a diagnosis of schizophrenia or any other psychotic disorder. All participants underwent brain CT examinations. Results: The study examined all three groups: first-episode schizophrenia (FES), schizophrenia (SCZ), and the control group. The FES group had a mean age of 26.35 years and a mean duration of illness of 1.2 years. The SCZ group, with a mean age of 40.08 years, had been diagnosed with schizophrenia for an average of 15.12 years. The control group, with a mean age of 34.60 years, had no schizophrenia diagnosis. Structural measurements revealed widening of frontal horns and lateral ventricles in the SCZ group compared to FES and the FES group compared to the control group. Differences in the dimensions of the third ventricle were noted between SCZ and FES, while no distinction was observed between FES and the control group. The fourth ventricle had similar measurements in FES and SCZ groups, both exceeding those of the control group. Our results showed higher densities in the frontal lobe in schizophrenia patients compared to FES and the control group, with the control group consistently displaying the lowest densities. Conclusions: In summary, our comparative imaging analysis of schizophrenia patients, first-episode schizophrenia, and control patients revealed distinct ventricular patterns, with SCZ showing greater widening than FES and FES wider than the control group. Frontal lobe density, assessed via cerebral CT scans, indicated a higher density in the SCZ group in both anterior and posterior cortex portions compared to FES and the control group, while the left posterior cortex in FES had the highest density. These findings highlight unique neuroanatomical features across groups, shedding light on structural differences associated with different stages of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Simina Petric
- Facultatea de Medicină, Universitatea Transilvania din Brașov, Bulevardul Eroilor 29, 500036 Brașov, Romania; (P.S.P.); (A.A.M.); (G.S.); (A.T.)
- Spitalul Clinic de Psihiatrie și Neurologie Brașov, Str. Prundului No. 7-9, 500123 Brașov, Romania
| | - Petru Ifteni
- Facultatea de Medicină, Universitatea Transilvania din Brașov, Bulevardul Eroilor 29, 500036 Brașov, Romania; (P.S.P.); (A.A.M.); (G.S.); (A.T.)
- Spitalul Clinic de Psihiatrie și Neurologie Brașov, Str. Prundului No. 7-9, 500123 Brașov, Romania
| | - Ana Aliana Miron
- Facultatea de Medicină, Universitatea Transilvania din Brașov, Bulevardul Eroilor 29, 500036 Brașov, Romania; (P.S.P.); (A.A.M.); (G.S.); (A.T.)
- Spitalul Clinic de Psihiatrie și Neurologie Brașov, Str. Prundului No. 7-9, 500123 Brașov, Romania
| | - Gabriela Sechel
- Facultatea de Medicină, Universitatea Transilvania din Brașov, Bulevardul Eroilor 29, 500036 Brașov, Romania; (P.S.P.); (A.A.M.); (G.S.); (A.T.)
| | - Andreea Teodorescu
- Facultatea de Medicină, Universitatea Transilvania din Brașov, Bulevardul Eroilor 29, 500036 Brașov, Romania; (P.S.P.); (A.A.M.); (G.S.); (A.T.)
- Spitalul Clinic de Psihiatrie și Neurologie Brașov, Str. Prundului No. 7-9, 500123 Brașov, Romania
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Islam MK, Islam MR, Rahman MH, Islam MZ, Hasan MM, Mamun MMI, Moni MA. Integrated bioinformatics and statistical approach to identify the common molecular mechanisms of obesity that are linked to the development of two psychiatric disorders: Schizophrenia and major depressive disorder. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0276820. [PMID: 37494308 PMCID: PMC10370737 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Obesity is a chronic multifactorial disease characterized by the accumulation of body fat and serves as a gateway to a number of metabolic-related diseases. Epidemiologic data indicate that Obesity is acting as a risk factor for neuro-psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, major depression disorder and vice versa. However, how obesity may biologically interact with neurodevelopmental or neurological psychiatric conditions influenced by hereditary, environmental, and other factors is entirely unknown. To address this issue, we have developed a pipeline that integrates bioinformatics and statistical approaches such as transcriptomic analysis to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and molecular mechanisms in patients with psychiatric disorders that are also common in obese patients. Biomarker genes expressed in schizophrenia, major depression, and obesity have been used to demonstrate such relationships depending on the previous research studies. The highly expressed genes identify commonly altered signalling pathways, gene ontology pathways, and gene-disease associations across disorders. The proposed method identified 163 significant genes and 134 significant pathways shared between obesity and schizophrenia. Similarly, there are 247 significant genes and 65 significant pathways that are shared by obesity and major depressive disorder. These genes and pathways increase the likelihood that psychiatric disorders and obesity are pathogenic. Thus, this study may help in the development of a restorative approach that will ameliorate the bidirectional relation between obesity and psychiatric disorder. Finally, we also validated our findings using genome-wide association study (GWAS) and whole-genome sequence (WGS) data from SCZ, MDD, and OBE. We confirmed the likely involvement of four significant genes both in transcriptomic and GWAS/WGS data. Moreover, we have performed co-expression cluster analysis of the transcriptomic data and compared it with the results of transcriptomic differential expression analysis and GWAS/WGS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Khairul Islam
- Dept. of Information Communication Technology, Islamic University, Kushtia, Bangladesh
| | - Md Rakibul Islam
- Dept. of Information Communication Technology, Islamic University, Kushtia, Bangladesh
| | - Md Habibur Rahman
- Dept. of Computer Science Engineering, Islamic University, Kushtia, Bangladesh
| | - Md Zahidul Islam
- Dept. of Information Communication Technology, Islamic University, Kushtia, Bangladesh
| | - Md Mehedi Hasan
- Department of Statistics, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
| | - Md Mainul Islam Mamun
- Department of Applied Physics and Electronic Engineering, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammad Ali Moni
- Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering, Pabna University of Science and Technology, Pabna, Bangladesh
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Yang J, Long Q, Zhang Y, Liu Y, Wu J, Zhao X, You X, Li X, Liu J, Teng Z, Zeng Y, Luo XJ. Whole transcriptome analysis reveals dysregulation of molecular networks in schizophrenia. Asian J Psychiatr 2023; 85:103649. [PMID: 37267675 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2023.103649] [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: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
To characterize the regulatory relationships between different types of transcripts and the altered molecular networks in schizophrenia (SCZ), we performed a whole transcriptome study by quantifying mRNAs, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), miRNAs, and circular RNAs (circRNAs) in the same individuals simultaneously. A total of 807 dysregulated genes showed differential expression in SCZ cases compared with controls. Network-based analysis revealed dysregulation of molecular networks in SCZ. Finally, integration of the transcriptome data with published data identified promising SCZ candidate genes. Our study reveals that dysregulated molecular networks and regulatory relationships between different types of transcript may have a role in SCZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfeng Yang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China; Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650204, China
| | - Qing Long
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650101, China
| | - Yunqiao Zhang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650101, China; Honghe Second People's Hospital, Honghe, Yunnan 654399, China; The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, Yuxi, Yunnan 653100, China
| | - Yilin Liu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650101, China
| | - Jie Wu
- The Affiliated Mental Health Center, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650224, China
| | - Xinling Zhao
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650101, China
| | - Xu You
- Honghe Second People's Hospital, Honghe, Yunnan 654399, China
| | - Xiaoyan Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China
| | - Jiewei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China
| | - Zhaowei Teng
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650101, China.
| | - Yong Zeng
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650101, China.
| | - Xiong-Jian Luo
- Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Advanced Institute for Life and Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China; Department of Neurology, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Advanced Institute for Life and Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
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Wilkinson ID, Mahmood T, Yasmin SF, Tomlinson A, Nazari J, Alhaj H, el din SN, Neill J, Pandit C, Ashraf S, Cardno AG, Clapcote SJ, Inglehearn CF, Woodruff PW. In memory of Professor Iain Wilkinson: cognitive and neuroimaging endophenotypes in a consanguineous schizophrenia multiplex family. Psychol Med 2023; 53:3178-3186. [PMID: 35125130 PMCID: PMC10235651 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291721005250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schizophrenia endophenotypes may help elucidate functional effects of genetic risk variants in multiply affected consanguineous families that segregate recessive risk alleles of large effect size. We studied the association between a schizophrenia risk locus involving a 6.1Mb homozygous region on chromosome 13q22-31 in a consanguineous multiplex family and cognitive functioning, haemodynamic response and white matter integrity using neuroimaging. METHODS We performed CANTAB neuropsychological testing on four affected family members (all homozygous for the risk locus), ten unaffected family members (seven homozygous and three heterozygous) and ten healthy volunteers, and tested neuronal responses on fMRI during an n-back working memory task, and white matter integrity on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) on four affected and six unaffected family members (four homozygous and two heterozygous) and three healthy volunteers. For cognitive comparisons we used a linear mixed model (Kruskal-Wallis) test, followed by posthoc Dunn's pairwise tests with a Bonferroni adjustment. For fMRI analysis, we counted voxels exceeding the p < 0.05 corrected threshold. DTI analysis was observational. RESULTS Family members with schizophrenia and unaffected family members homozygous for the risk haplotype showed attention (p < 0.01) and working memory deficits (p < 0.01) compared with healthy controls; a neural activation laterality bias towards the right prefrontal cortex (voxels reaching p < 0.05, corrected) and observed lower fractional anisotropy in the anterior cingulate cortex and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. CONCLUSIONS In this family, homozygosity at the 13q risk locus was associated with impaired cognition, white matter integrity, and altered laterality of neural activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iain D. Wilkinson
- Academic Unit of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Tariq Mahmood
- Leeds & York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Leeds, UK
| | - Sophia Faye Yasmin
- Academic Unit of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | | | - Jamshid Nazari
- South West Yorkshire NHS Foundation Trust, Wakefield, UK
| | - Hamid Alhaj
- University of Sharjah, UAE
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | | | - Joanna Neill
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Chhaya Pandit
- Leeds & York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Leeds, UK
| | - Shahzad Ashraf
- South West Yorkshire NHS Foundation Trust, Wakefield, UK
| | - Alastair G. Cardno
- Psychological & Social Medicine, Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | | | - Chris F. Inglehearn
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Leeds Institute of Medical Research, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Peter W. Woodruff
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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Sheridan SD, Horng JE, Perlis RH. Patient-Derived In Vitro Models of Microglial Function and Synaptic Engulfment in Schizophrenia. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 92:470-479. [PMID: 35232567 PMCID: PMC10039432 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Revised: 12/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Multiple lines of evidence implicate dysregulated microglia-mediated synaptic pruning in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. In vitro human cellular studies represent a promising means of pursuing this hypothesis, complementing efforts with animal models and postmortem human data while addressing their limitations. The challenges in culturing homogeneous populations of cells derived from postmortem or surgical biopsy brain material from patients, and their limited availability, has led to a focus on differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells. These methods too have limitations, in that they disrupt the epigenome and can demonstrate line-to-line variability due in part to extended time in culture, partial reprogramming, and/or residual epigenetic memory from the cell source, yielding large technical artifacts. Yet another strategy uses direct transdifferentiation of peripheral mononuclear blood cells, or umbilical cord blood cells, to microglia-like cells. Any of these approaches can be paired with patient-derived synaptosomes from differentiated neurons as a simpler alternative to co-culture. Patient-derived microglia models may facilitate identification of novel modulators of synaptic pruning and identification of biomarkers that may allow more targeted early interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven D Sheridan
- Center for Genomic Medicine and Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Joy E Horng
- Center for Genomic Medicine and Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Roy H Perlis
- Center for Genomic Medicine and Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
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6
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Exploring Lead loci shared between schizophrenia and Cardiometabolic traits. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:617. [PMID: 36008755 PMCID: PMC9414090 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08766-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with schizophrenia (SCZ) have, on average, a 10- to 20-year shorter expected life span than the rest of the population, primarily due to cardiovascular disease comorbidity. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have previously been used to separately identify common variants in SCZ and cardiometabolic traits. However, genetic variants jointly influencing both traits remain to be fully characterised. To assess overlaps (if any) between the genetic architecture of SCZ and cardiometabolic traits, we used conditional false discovery rate (FDR) and local genetic correlation statistical framework analyses. A conjunctional FDR was used to identify shared genetic traits between SCZ and cardiometabolic risk factors. We identified 144 genetic variants which were shared between SCZ and body mass index (BMI), and 15 variants shared between SCZ and triglycerides (TG). Furthermore, we discovered four novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs3865350, rs9860913, rs13307 and rs9614186) and four proximate genes (DERL2, SNX4, LY75 and EFCAB6) which were shared by SCZ and BMI. We observed that the novel genetic variant rs13307 and the most proximate gene LY75 exerted potential effects on SCZ and BMI comorbidity. Also, we observed a mixture of concordant and opposite direction associations with shared genetic variants. We demonstrated a moderate to high genetic overlap between SCZ and cardiometabolic traits associated with a pattern of bidirectional associations. Our data suggested a complex interplay between metabolism-related gene pathways in SCZ pathophysiology.
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7
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Shao X, Liao Y, Gu L, Chen W, Tang J. The Etiology of Auditory Hallucinations in Schizophrenia: From Multidimensional Levels. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:755870. [PMID: 34858129 PMCID: PMC8632545 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.755870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Enormous efforts have been made to unveil the etiology of auditory hallucinations (AHs), and multiple genetic and neural factors have already been shown to have their own roles. Previous studies have shown that AHs in schizophrenia vary from those in other disorders, suggesting that they have unique features and possibly distinguishable mechanisms worthy of further investigation. In this review, we intend to offer a comprehensive summary of current findings related to AHs in schizophrenia from aspects of genetics and transcriptome, neurophysiology (neurometabolic and electroencephalogram studies), and neuroimaging (structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging studies and transcriptome–neuroimaging association study). Main findings include gene polymorphisms, glutamate level change, electroencephalographic alterations, and abnormalities of white matter fasciculi, cortical structure, and cerebral activities, especially in multiple regions, including auditory and language networks. More solid and comparable research is needed to replicate and integrate ongoing findings from multidimensional levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Shao
- Department of Psychiatry, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yanhui Liao
- Department of Psychiatry, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lin Gu
- RIKEN AIP, Tokyo, Japan.,Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jinsong Tang
- Department of Psychiatry, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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Miyashiro S, Yamada Y, Nagaoka M, Shima R, Muta T, Ishikawa H, Abe T, Hori M, Oka K, Koshikawa F, Ito E. Pain relief associated with decreased oxyhemoglobin level in left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0256626. [PMID: 34424921 PMCID: PMC8382195 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Pain in the elbow, shoulder, knee, lower back, and various other joints is relieved by adhesion of pyramidal thorn patches. To elucidate the pain relief mechanism induced by the patches, we established a quantitative method for estimating the pain reduction and investigated the brain regions that change in association with pain relief. We first attempted to quantify the pain relief using transcutaneous electric stimulation (TCES) and a visual analog scale (VAS), and then applied near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to the prefrontal cortex, including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). We also examined the salivary oxytocin levels, which are thought to reflect oxytocin secretion levels from the posterior pituitary in the brain. Application of pyramidal thorn patches to pain regions decreased the pain degree estimated using TCES and VAS. Oxyhemoglobin levels were likely to be decreased in the left DLPFC on the basis of NIRS measurements during patch treatment, suggesting that the left DLPFC is involved in pain relief. On the other hand, the salivary oxytocin levels varied widely. A potential reason for the varying salivary oxytocin levels is its utilization in the pain region as an analgesic agent. Our results suggest that the left DLPFC will become a target brain region for pain therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yurika Yamada
- Department of Biology, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Rei Shima
- Department of Biology, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshizumi Muta
- Department of Psychology, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Haruyuki Ishikawa
- Department of Culture, Media and Society, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tetsuri Abe
- Department of Psychology, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masashi Hori
- Department of Educational Psychology, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kotaro Oka
- Department of Bioscience and Informatics, Keio University, Yokohama, Japan
- Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | | | - Etsuro Ito
- Department of Biology, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
- Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
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9
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Petralia MC, Ciurleo R, Bramanti A, Bramanti P, Saraceno A, Mangano K, Quattropani MC, Nicoletti F, Fagone P. Transcriptomic Data Analysis Reveals a Down-Expression of Galectin-8 in Schizophrenia Hippocampus. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11080973. [PMID: 34439592 PMCID: PMC8392448 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11080973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a severe psychiatric disorder with several clinical manifestations that include cognitive dysfunction, decline in motivation, and psychosis. Current standards of care treatment with antipsychotic agents are often ineffective in controlling the disease, as only one-third of SCZ patients respond to medications. The mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of SCZ remain elusive. It is believed that inflammatory processes may play a role as contributing factors to the etiology of SCZ. Galectins are a family of β-galactoside-binding lectins that contribute to the regulation of immune and inflammatory responses, and previous reports have shown their role in the maintenance of central nervous system (CNS) homeostasis and neuroinflammation. In the current study, we evaluated the expression levels of the galectin gene family in post-mortem samples of the hippocampus, associative striatum, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex from SCZ patients. We found a significant downregulation of LGALS8 (Galectin-8) in the hippocampus of SCZ patients as compared to otherwise healthy donors. Interestingly, the reduction of LGALS8 was disease-specific, as no modulation was observed in the hippocampus from bipolar nor major depressive disorder (MDD) patients. Prediction analysis identified TBL1XR1, BRF2, and TAF7 as potential transcription factors controlling LGALS8 expression. In addition, MIR3681HG and MIR4296 were negatively correlated with LGALS8 expression, suggesting a role for epigenetics in the regulation of LGALS8 levels. On the other hand, no differences in the methylation levels of LGALS8 were observed between SCZ and matched control hippocampus. Finally, ontology analysis of the genes negatively correlated with LGALS8 expression identified an enrichment of the NGF-stimulated transcription pathway and of the oligodendrocyte differentiation pathway. Our study identified LGALS8 as a disease-specific gene, characterizing SCZ patients, that may in the future be exploited as a potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Cristina Petralia
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy; (M.C.P.); (M.C.Q.)
| | - Rosella Ciurleo
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, 98124 Messina, Italy; (R.C.); (P.B.)
| | - Alessia Bramanti
- Department of Medicine, University of Salerno, 84084 Salerno, Italy;
| | - Placido Bramanti
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, 98124 Messina, Italy; (R.C.); (P.B.)
| | - Andrea Saraceno
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.S.); (K.M.); (F.N.)
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.S.); (K.M.); (F.N.)
| | - Maria Catena Quattropani
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy; (M.C.P.); (M.C.Q.)
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.S.); (K.M.); (F.N.)
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (A.S.); (K.M.); (F.N.)
- Correspondence:
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10
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Guevara EE, Hopkins WD, Hof PR, Ely JJ, Bradley BJ, Sherwood CC. Comparative analysis reveals distinctive epigenetic features of the human cerebellum. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009506. [PMID: 33956822 PMCID: PMC8101944 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying the molecular underpinnings of the neural specializations that underlie human cognitive and behavioral traits has long been of considerable interest. Much research on human-specific changes in gene expression and epigenetic marks has focused on the prefrontal cortex, a brain structure distinguished by its role in executive functions. The cerebellum shows expansion in great apes and is gaining increasing attention for its role in motor skills and cognitive processing, including language. However, relatively few molecular studies of the cerebellum in a comparative evolutionary context have been conducted. Here, we identify human-specific methylation in the lateral cerebellum relative to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, in a comparative study with chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Specifically, we profiled genome-wide methylation levels in the three species for each of the two brain structures and identified human-specific differentially methylated genomic regions unique to each structure. We further identified which differentially methylated regions (DMRs) overlap likely regulatory elements and determined whether associated genes show corresponding species differences in gene expression. We found greater human-specific methylation in the cerebellum than the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, with differentially methylated regions overlapping genes involved in several conditions or processes relevant to human neurobiology, including synaptic plasticity, lipid metabolism, neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, and neurodevelopment, including developmental disorders. Moreover, our results show some overlap with those of previous studies focused on the neocortex, indicating that such results may be common to multiple brain structures. These findings further our understanding of the cerebellum in human brain evolution. Humans are distinguished from other species by several aspects of cognition. While much comparative evolutionary neuroscience has focused on the neocortex, increasing recognition of the cerebellum’s role in cognition and motor processing has inspired considerable new research. Comparative molecular studies, however, generally continue to focus on the neocortex. We sought to characterize potential genetic regulatory traits distinguishing the human cerebellum by undertaking genome-wide epigenetic profiling of the lateral cerebellum, and compared this to the prefrontal cortex of humans, chimpanzees, and rhesus macaque monkeys. We found that humans showed greater differential CpG methylation–an epigenetic modification of DNA that can reflect past or present gene expression–in the cerebellum than the prefrontal cortex, highlighting the importance of this structure in human brain evolution. Humans also specifically show methylation differences at genes involved in neurodevelopment, neuroinflammation, synaptic plasticity, and lipid metabolism. These differences are relevant for understanding processes specific to humans, such as extensive plasticity, as well as pronounced and prevalent neurodegenerative conditions associated with aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine E. Guevara
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas, United States of America
| | - Patrick R. Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - John J. Ely
- MAEBIOS, Alamogordo, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Brenda J. Bradley
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
| | - Chet C. Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
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11
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Yu H, Guo Y, Chen J, Chen X, Jia P, Zhao Z. Rewired Pathways and Disrupted Pathway Crosstalk in Schizophrenia Transcriptomes by Multiple Differential Coexpression Methods. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:665. [PMID: 33946654 PMCID: PMC8146818 DOI: 10.3390/genes12050665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcriptomic studies of mental disorders using the human brain tissues have been limited, and gene expression signatures in schizophrenia (SCZ) remain elusive. In this study, we applied three differential co-expression methods to analyze five transcriptomic datasets (three RNA-Seq and two microarray datasets) derived from SCZ and matched normal postmortem brain samples. We aimed to uncover biological pathways where internal correlation structure was rewired or inter-coordination was disrupted in SCZ. In total, we identified 60 rewired pathways, many of which were related to neurotransmitter, synapse, immune, and cell adhesion. We found the hub genes, which were on the center of rewired pathways, were highly mutually consistent among the five datasets. The combinatory list of 92 hub genes was generally multi-functional, suggesting their complex and dynamic roles in SCZ pathophysiology. In our constructed pathway crosstalk network, we found "Clostridium neurotoxicity" and "signaling events mediated by focal adhesion kinase" had the highest interactions. We further identified disconnected gene links underlying the disrupted pathway crosstalk. Among them, four gene pairs (PAK1:SYT1, PAK1:RFC5, DCTN1:STX1A, and GRIA1:MAP2K4) were normally correlated in universal contexts. In summary, we systematically identified rewired pathways, disrupted pathway crosstalk circuits, and critical genes and gene links in schizophrenia transcriptomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Yu
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (H.Y.); (Y.G.)
| | - Yan Guo
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (H.Y.); (Y.G.)
| | - Jingchun Chen
- Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA; (J.C.); (X.C.)
| | - Xiangning Chen
- Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA; (J.C.); (X.C.)
| | - Peilin Jia
- Center for Precision Health, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Zhongming Zhao
- Center for Precision Health, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
- Human Genetics Center, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37203, USA
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12
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Rahman MR, Islam T, Nicoletti F, Petralia MC, Ciurleo R, Fisicaro F, Pennisi M, Bramanti A, Demirtas TY, Gov E, Islam MR, Mussa BM, Moni MA, Fagone P. Identification of Common Pathogenetic Processes between Schizophrenia and Diabetes Mellitus by Systems Biology Analysis. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12020237. [PMID: 33562405 PMCID: PMC7916024 DOI: 10.3390/genes12020237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a psychiatric disorder characterized by both positive symptoms (i.e., psychosis) and negative symptoms (such as apathy, anhedonia, and poverty of speech). Epidemiological data show a high likelihood of early onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in SCZ patients. However, the molecular processes that could explain the epidemiological association between SCZ and T2DM have not yet been characterized. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to identify underlying common molecular pathogenetic processes and pathways between SCZ and T2DM. To this aim, we analyzed peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) transcriptomic data from SCZ and T2DM patients, and we detected 28 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) commonly modulated between SCZ and T2DM. Inflammatory-associated processes and membrane trafficking pathways as common biological processes were found to be in common between SCZ and T2DM. Analysis of the putative transcription factors involved in the regulation of the DEGs revealed that STAT1 (Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 1), RELA (v-rel reticuloendotheliosis viral oncogene homolog A (avian)), NFKB1 (Nuclear Factor Kappa B Subunit 1), and ERG (ETS-related gene) are involved in the expression of common DEGs in SCZ and T2DM. In conclusion, we provide core molecular signatures and pathways that are shared between SCZ and T2DM, which may contribute to the epidemiological association between them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Rezanur Rahman
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Islamic University, Kushtia 7003, Bangladesh;
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Khwaja Yunus Ali University, Enayetpur, Sirajganj 6751, Bangladesh;
| | - Tania Islam
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Khwaja Yunus Ali University, Enayetpur, Sirajganj 6751, Bangladesh;
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy; (F.F.); (M.P.); (P.F.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Maria Cristina Petralia
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (M.C.P.); (R.C.); (A.B.)
| | - Rosella Ciurleo
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (M.C.P.); (R.C.); (A.B.)
| | - Francesco Fisicaro
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy; (F.F.); (M.P.); (P.F.)
| | - Manuela Pennisi
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy; (F.F.); (M.P.); (P.F.)
| | - Alessia Bramanti
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Via Provinciale Palermo, Contrada Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy; (M.C.P.); (R.C.); (A.B.)
| | - Talip Yasir Demirtas
- Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Adana Alparslan Turkes Science and Technology University, Adana 01250, Turkey; (T.Y.D.); (E.G.)
| | - Esra Gov
- Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Adana Alparslan Turkes Science and Technology University, Adana 01250, Turkey; (T.Y.D.); (E.G.)
| | - Md Rafiqul Islam
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia;
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Jashore 7408, Bangladesh
| | - Bashair M. Mussa
- Basic Medical Sciences Department, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates;
| | - Mohammad Ali Moni
- WHO Collaborating Centre on eHealth, UNSW Digital Health, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia;
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy; (F.F.); (M.P.); (P.F.)
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13
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Andersen AM, Lei MK, Beach SR, Philibert RA. Inflammatory biomarker relationships with helper T cell GPR15 expression and cannabis and tobacco smoking. J Psychosom Res 2021; 141:110326. [PMID: 33310155 PMCID: PMC9045001 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2020.110326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Smoking is associated with numerous inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. The goal of this study was to examine whether increased expression of G-protein-coupled receptor 15 (GPR15) on helper T cells in smokers could predispose to these conditions through its relationship with inflammatory biomarkers. METHODS We used flow cytometric measurement of GPR15+CD3+CD4+ helper T cells and serum assays for C-reactive protein (CRP) and 17 cytokines drawn from peripheral blood samples from a cohort of n = 62 primarily African American young adults (aged 27-35 years). These variables were examined cross-sectionally in conjunction with serum biomarkers of tobacco (cotinine) and cannabis (tetrahydrocannabinol) use and lifestyle factors potentially impacting immune function in correlational analyses and linear regression models. RESULTS Tobacco and cannabis smoking were strongly associated with increased GPR15 expression on helper T cells (p < 0.001), which was in turn was strongly associated with the ratio of pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory cytokines (p < 0.001). Mediation analyses indicated increased GPR15 expression accounted for roughly half of the relationship between smoking variables and pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory cytokine balance. CRP was not associated with cannabis or tobacco use or GPR15+ expression, but was associated with body mass index (p < 0.001). These relationships persisted after controlling for lifestyle and medical factors impacting immune function. CONCLUSIONS Increased expression of GPR15 by helper T cells in smokers may mediate some of the relationship between smoking and a pro-inflammatory cytokine milieu. Better understanding of this relationship may help uncover how smoking increases the risk of inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allan M. Andersen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242,Correspondence: Allan M. Andersen, MD, 500 Newton Road, Iowa City, IA 52246, Tel: (319) 384-4420, Fax: (319) 353-3003,
| | - Man-Kit Lei
- Department of Sociology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602,Center for Family Research, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
| | - Steven R.H. Beach
- Center for Family Research, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602,Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
| | - Robert A. Philibert
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242,Behavioral Diagnostics, Coralville, Iowa 52241
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Martel JC, Gatti McArthur S. Dopamine Receptor Subtypes, Physiology and Pharmacology: New Ligands and Concepts in Schizophrenia. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:1003. [PMID: 32765257 PMCID: PMC7379027 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.01003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopamine receptors are widely distributed within the brain where they play critical modulator roles on motor functions, motivation and drive, as well as cognition. The identification of five genes coding for different dopamine receptor subtypes, pharmacologically grouped as D1- (D1 and D5) or D2-like (D2S, D2L, D3, and D4) has allowed the demonstration of differential receptor function in specific neurocircuits. Recent observation on dopamine receptor signaling point at dopamine-glutamate-NMDA neurobiology as the most relevant in schizophrenia and for the development of new therapies. Progress in the chemistry of D1- and D2-like receptor ligands (agonists, antagonists, and partial agonists) has provided more selective compounds possibly able to target the dopamine receptors homo and heterodimers and address different schizophrenia symptoms. Moreover, an extensive evaluation of the functional effect of these agents on dopamine receptor coupling and intracellular signaling highlights important differences that could also result in highly differentiated clinical pharmacology. The review summarizes the recent advances in the field, addressing the relevance of emerging new targets in schizophrenia in particular in relation to the dopamine - glutamate NMDA systems interactions.
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