Pyrosequencing analysis of IRS1 methylation levels in schizophrenia with tardive dyskinesia

Genome-wide DNA methylation analysis in schizophrenia with tardive dyskinesia: a preliminary study

BACKGROUND

Tardive dyskinesia (TD) develops in 20-30% of schizophrenia patients and up to 50% in patients > 50 years old. DNA methylation may play an important role in the development of TD.

OBJECTIVE

DNA methylation analyses in schizophrenia with TD.

METHODS

We conducted a genome-wide DNA methylation analysis in schizophrenia with TD using methylated DNA immunoprecipitation coupled with next-generation sequencing (MeDIP-Seq) in a Chinese sample including five schizophrenia patients with TD and five without TD (NTD), and five healthy controls. The results were expressed as the log2FC, fold change of normalized tags between two groups within the differentially methylated region (DMR). For validation, the pyrosequencing was used to quantify DNA methylation levels of several methylated genes in an independent sample (n = 30).

RESULTS

Through genome-wide MeDIP-Seq analysis, we identified 116 genes that were significantly differentially methylated in promotor regions in comparison of TD group with NTD group including 66 hypermethylated genes (top 4 genes are GABRR1, VANGL2, ZNF534, and ZNF746) and 50 hypomethylated genes (top 4 genes are DERL3, GSTA4, KNCN, and LRRK1). Part of these genes (such as DERL3, DLGAP2, GABRR1, KLRG2, LRRK1, VANGL2, and ZP3) were previously reported to be associated with methylation in schizophrenia. Gene Ontology enrichment and KEGG pathway analyses identified several pathways. So far, we have confirmed the methylation of 3 genes (ARMC6, WDR75, and ZP3) in schizophrenia with TD using pyrosequencing.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified number of methylated genes and pathways for TD and will provide potential biomarkers for TD and serve as a resource for replication in other populations.

[The sensorimotor domain in the research domain criteria system: progress and perspectives]

Over the past three decades research interest in hypokinetic, hyperkinetic, sensorimotor and psychomotor abnormalities in mental disorders has steadily increased. This development has led to an increasing number of scientific initiatives that have not only highlighted the clinical need for early detection of extrapyramidal motor symptoms, tardive dyskinesia and catatonia but also provided numerous neurobiological findings and clinically relevant results based on the pathology of the sensorimotor system in patients with mental disorders. In view of these developments in January 2019 the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) research domain criteria (RDoC) initiative introduced a sixth domain called the sensorimotor domain to address deficits in the sensorimotor system and associated behavioral abnormalities. To draw attention to the rapid progress just since the introduction of the sensorimotor domain, a 2-year (1 January 2019-18 February 2021) systematic review is presented highlighting recent neuroimaging findings and discussing challenges for future research. In summary, aberrant sensorimotor processing in mental disorders is associated with dysfunction of the cerebello-thalamo-motor cortex network, which interacts with (social)cognitive and affective systems. Initial longitudinal and interventional studies highlight the translational potential of the sensorimotor domain.