1Schizophr. Res. 2003 Dec 65: 33-8
PMID14623372
TitleA mitochondrial DNA sequence variant associated with schizophrenia and oxidative stress.
AbstractWe have previously reported a changed mitochondrial (mt) gene expression in brain from patients with schizophrenia [Schizophr. Res. 14 (1995) 203]; now, we describe the distribution in the mtDNA from lymphocytes of a heteroplasmic sequence variation that was originally found in the mtDNA from the postmortem brain of a patient with schizophrenia. The variant is m.12027T>C and results in the change from isoleucine to threonine at position 423 of the ND4 subunit of NADH-ubiquinone reductase. Using a PCR-RFLP method, we have determined the heteroplasmy as the ratio of variant to total (variant ratio) at m.12027 in 184 controls and 181 patients with schizophrenia as well as 24 postmortem brain samples. The distribution of variants is bimodal having peaks at variant ratios of 0.262 and 0.732. The variant-rich fraction is very significantly associated with schizophrenia in males (47%), while there is only 18% in control males. There are significantly more variant-rich control females (36%) than control males (18%), suggesting that the female population is less sensitive to the presence of a variant in terms of liability to schizophrenia. In variant-rich samples from postmortem brain originating from both sexes, there is an increased superoxide production, suggesting that the variation contributes to oxidative stress. Antioxidant glycosides, such as quercetin rutoside, quench the superoxide production without (in contrast to neuroleptic drugs) interfering with the electron transfer activity of the reductase.
SCZ Keywordsschizophrenia, schizophrenic
2Schizophr. Res. 2003 Dec 65: 33-8
PMID14623372
TitleA mitochondrial DNA sequence variant associated with schizophrenia and oxidative stress.
AbstractWe have previously reported a changed mitochondrial (mt) gene expression in brain from patients with schizophrenia [Schizophr. Res. 14 (1995) 203]; now, we describe the distribution in the mtDNA from lymphocytes of a heteroplasmic sequence variation that was originally found in the mtDNA from the postmortem brain of a patient with schizophrenia. The variant is m.12027T>C and results in the change from isoleucine to threonine at position 423 of the ND4 subunit of NADH-ubiquinone reductase. Using a PCR-RFLP method, we have determined the heteroplasmy as the ratio of variant to total (variant ratio) at m.12027 in 184 controls and 181 patients with schizophrenia as well as 24 postmortem brain samples. The distribution of variants is bimodal having peaks at variant ratios of 0.262 and 0.732. The variant-rich fraction is very significantly associated with schizophrenia in males (47%), while there is only 18% in control males. There are significantly more variant-rich control females (36%) than control males (18%), suggesting that the female population is less sensitive to the presence of a variant in terms of liability to schizophrenia. In variant-rich samples from postmortem brain originating from both sexes, there is an increased superoxide production, suggesting that the variation contributes to oxidative stress. Antioxidant glycosides, such as quercetin rutoside, quench the superoxide production without (in contrast to neuroleptic drugs) interfering with the electron transfer activity of the reductase.
SCZ Keywordsschizophrenia, schizophrenic
3Schizophr. Res. 2003 Dec 65: 33-8
PMID14623372
TitleA mitochondrial DNA sequence variant associated with schizophrenia and oxidative stress.
AbstractWe have previously reported a changed mitochondrial (mt) gene expression in brain from patients with schizophrenia [Schizophr. Res. 14 (1995) 203]; now, we describe the distribution in the mtDNA from lymphocytes of a heteroplasmic sequence variation that was originally found in the mtDNA from the postmortem brain of a patient with schizophrenia. The variant is m.12027T>C and results in the change from isoleucine to threonine at position 423 of the ND4 subunit of NADH-ubiquinone reductase. Using a PCR-RFLP method, we have determined the heteroplasmy as the ratio of variant to total (variant ratio) at m.12027 in 184 controls and 181 patients with schizophrenia as well as 24 postmortem brain samples. The distribution of variants is bimodal having peaks at variant ratios of 0.262 and 0.732. The variant-rich fraction is very significantly associated with schizophrenia in males (47%), while there is only 18% in control males. There are significantly more variant-rich control females (36%) than control males (18%), suggesting that the female population is less sensitive to the presence of a variant in terms of liability to schizophrenia. In variant-rich samples from postmortem brain originating from both sexes, there is an increased superoxide production, suggesting that the variation contributes to oxidative stress. Antioxidant glycosides, such as quercetin rutoside, quench the superoxide production without (in contrast to neuroleptic drugs) interfering with the electron transfer activity of the reductase.
SCZ Keywordsschizophrenia, schizophrenic
4Int. J. Neuropsychopharmacol. 2005 Dec 8: 515-22
PMID16202181
TitleQuantitative analysis of mitochondrial DNA deletions in the brains of patients with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
AbstractSeveral clinical, genetic and neuroimaging studies implicate mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. It has been reported that a mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) deletion of 4,977 bp, known as the 'common deletion', is associated with both mental illnesses. A lack of normal age-related accumulation of this deletion in schizophrenia and increased occurrence of the common deletion in bipolar disorder have been reported. However, even in the affected bipolar samples, the levels of common deletion were relatively small, indicating that the common deletion did not play a pathophysiological role in respiratory function. We hypothesized that accumulation of multiple mtDNA deletions, rather than the common deletion alone, is involved in the pathophysiology of these two major mental disorders. To test this hypothesis, we assessed mtDNA deletion(s) by comparing the copy number of two regions in mtDNA -- ND1 and ND4 -- using real-time quantitative PCR in the frontal cortex of 84 subjects (30 control, 27 with bipolar disorder, and 27 with schizophrenia). We also assessed the relative amount of mtDNA vs. nuclear DNA and the expression level of DNA polymerase gamma (POLG), which is involved in replicating mtDNA. We observed no association between mtDNA deletions and the two major mental disorders in the frontal cortex, which did not support our hypothesis. We did, however, make the following observations, although they were not significant after Bonferroni correction: (1) the ratio of mtDNA to nuclear DNA was significantly higher in female patients with schizophrenia than in control females ( p =0.040) and (2) in bipolar disorder, the relative amount of mtDNA decreased with age ( p =0.016). furthermore, POLG expression was significantly up-regulated in bipolar disorder ( p =0.036). Our results suggest that abnormalities in the system maintaining replication of mtdna may underlie bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
SCZ Keywordsschizophrenia, schizophrenic
5Int. J. Neuropsychopharmacol. 2005 Dec 8: 515-22
PMID16202181
TitleQuantitative analysis of mitochondrial DNA deletions in the brains of patients with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
AbstractSeveral clinical, genetic and neuroimaging studies implicate mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. It has been reported that a mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) deletion of 4,977 bp, known as the 'common deletion', is associated with both mental illnesses. A lack of normal age-related accumulation of this deletion in schizophrenia and increased occurrence of the common deletion in bipolar disorder have been reported. However, even in the affected bipolar samples, the levels of common deletion were relatively small, indicating that the common deletion did not play a pathophysiological role in respiratory function. We hypothesized that accumulation of multiple mtDNA deletions, rather than the common deletion alone, is involved in the pathophysiology of these two major mental disorders. To test this hypothesis, we assessed mtDNA deletion(s) by comparing the copy number of two regions in mtDNA -- ND1 and ND4 -- using real-time quantitative PCR in the frontal cortex of 84 subjects (30 control, 27 with bipolar disorder, and 27 with schizophrenia). We also assessed the relative amount of mtDNA vs. nuclear DNA and the expression level of DNA polymerase gamma (POLG), which is involved in replicating mtDNA. We observed no association between mtDNA deletions and the two major mental disorders in the frontal cortex, which did not support our hypothesis. We did, however, make the following observations, although they were not significant after Bonferroni correction: (1) the ratio of mtDNA to nuclear DNA was significantly higher in female patients with schizophrenia than in control females ( p =0.040) and (2) in bipolar disorder, the relative amount of mtDNA decreased with age ( p =0.016). furthermore, POLG expression was significantly up-regulated in bipolar disorder ( p =0.036). Our results suggest that abnormalities in the system maintaining replication of mtdna may underlie bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
SCZ Keywordsschizophrenia, schizophrenic
6Int. J. Neuropsychopharmacol. 2005 Dec 8: 515-22
PMID16202181
TitleQuantitative analysis of mitochondrial DNA deletions in the brains of patients with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
AbstractSeveral clinical, genetic and neuroimaging studies implicate mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. It has been reported that a mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) deletion of 4,977 bp, known as the 'common deletion', is associated with both mental illnesses. A lack of normal age-related accumulation of this deletion in schizophrenia and increased occurrence of the common deletion in bipolar disorder have been reported. However, even in the affected bipolar samples, the levels of common deletion were relatively small, indicating that the common deletion did not play a pathophysiological role in respiratory function. We hypothesized that accumulation of multiple mtDNA deletions, rather than the common deletion alone, is involved in the pathophysiology of these two major mental disorders. To test this hypothesis, we assessed mtDNA deletion(s) by comparing the copy number of two regions in mtDNA -- ND1 and ND4 -- using real-time quantitative PCR in the frontal cortex of 84 subjects (30 control, 27 with bipolar disorder, and 27 with schizophrenia). We also assessed the relative amount of mtDNA vs. nuclear DNA and the expression level of DNA polymerase gamma (POLG), which is involved in replicating mtDNA. We observed no association between mtDNA deletions and the two major mental disorders in the frontal cortex, which did not support our hypothesis. We did, however, make the following observations, although they were not significant after Bonferroni correction: (1) the ratio of mtDNA to nuclear DNA was significantly higher in female patients with schizophrenia than in control females ( p =0.040) and (2) in bipolar disorder, the relative amount of mtDNA decreased with age ( p =0.016). furthermore, POLG expression was significantly up-regulated in bipolar disorder ( p =0.036). Our results suggest that abnormalities in the system maintaining replication of mtdna may underlie bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
SCZ Keywordsschizophrenia, schizophrenic
7Eur. J. Hum. Genet. 2006 May 14: 520-8
PMID16538224
TitleNew variants in the mitochondrial genomes of schizophrenic patients.
AbstractThe impaired mitochondrial function hypothesis in schizophrenia is based on evidence of altered brain metabolism, morphology, biochemistry and gene expression. Mitochondria have their own genome, which is needed to synthesize some of the subunits of the respiratory chain enzymes. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is maternally inherited and we observed an excess of maternal transmission of schizophrenia in a set of parent-offspring affected pairs. We therefore hypothesized that mutations in the mtDNA may contribute to the complex genetic basis of schizophrenia. The entire mtDNA of six schizophrenic patients with an apparent maternal transmission of the disease was sequenced and compared to the reference sequence. We have identified 50 variants and among these six have not been previously reported. Three of them were missense variants: MTCO2 7750C>A, MTATP6 8857G>A and MTND4 12096T>A. These were maternally inherited because they were also present in the mtDNA of their respective schizophrenic mothers and none of them were found in 95 control individuals. The MTND4 12096T>A (Leu446His) is a heteroplasmic variant present in five of the six mother-offspring patient pairs that triggers a non-conservative substitution in the ND4 subunit of complex I. Sequence alignment of 110 ND4 peptides from all eukaryotic kingdoms shows that only hydrophobic amino acids are found in this position. Moreover, leucine was conserved or substituted by an isoleucine in all mammalian species. This indicates that the presence of histidine could affect complex I activity in patients with schizophrenia.
SCZ Keywordsschizophrenia, schizophrenic
8Eur. J. Hum. Genet. 2006 May 14: 520-8
PMID16538224
TitleNew variants in the mitochondrial genomes of schizophrenic patients.
AbstractThe impaired mitochondrial function hypothesis in schizophrenia is based on evidence of altered brain metabolism, morphology, biochemistry and gene expression. Mitochondria have their own genome, which is needed to synthesize some of the subunits of the respiratory chain enzymes. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is maternally inherited and we observed an excess of maternal transmission of schizophrenia in a set of parent-offspring affected pairs. We therefore hypothesized that mutations in the mtDNA may contribute to the complex genetic basis of schizophrenia. The entire mtDNA of six schizophrenic patients with an apparent maternal transmission of the disease was sequenced and compared to the reference sequence. We have identified 50 variants and among these six have not been previously reported. Three of them were missense variants: MTCO2 7750C>A, MTATP6 8857G>A and MTND4 12096T>A. These were maternally inherited because they were also present in the mtDNA of their respective schizophrenic mothers and none of them were found in 95 control individuals. The MTND4 12096T>A (Leu446His) is a heteroplasmic variant present in five of the six mother-offspring patient pairs that triggers a non-conservative substitution in the ND4 subunit of complex I. Sequence alignment of 110 ND4 peptides from all eukaryotic kingdoms shows that only hydrophobic amino acids are found in this position. Moreover, leucine was conserved or substituted by an isoleucine in all mammalian species. This indicates that the presence of histidine could affect complex I activity in patients with schizophrenia.
SCZ Keywordsschizophrenia, schizophrenic
9Eur. J. Hum. Genet. 2006 May 14: 520-8
PMID16538224
TitleNew variants in the mitochondrial genomes of schizophrenic patients.
AbstractThe impaired mitochondrial function hypothesis in schizophrenia is based on evidence of altered brain metabolism, morphology, biochemistry and gene expression. Mitochondria have their own genome, which is needed to synthesize some of the subunits of the respiratory chain enzymes. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is maternally inherited and we observed an excess of maternal transmission of schizophrenia in a set of parent-offspring affected pairs. We therefore hypothesized that mutations in the mtDNA may contribute to the complex genetic basis of schizophrenia. The entire mtDNA of six schizophrenic patients with an apparent maternal transmission of the disease was sequenced and compared to the reference sequence. We have identified 50 variants and among these six have not been previously reported. Three of them were missense variants: MTCO2 7750C>A, MTATP6 8857G>A and MTND4 12096T>A. These were maternally inherited because they were also present in the mtDNA of their respective schizophrenic mothers and none of them were found in 95 control individuals. The MTND4 12096T>A (Leu446His) is a heteroplasmic variant present in five of the six mother-offspring patient pairs that triggers a non-conservative substitution in the ND4 subunit of complex I. Sequence alignment of 110 ND4 peptides from all eukaryotic kingdoms shows that only hydrophobic amino acids are found in this position. Moreover, leucine was conserved or substituted by an isoleucine in all mammalian species. This indicates that the presence of histidine could affect complex I activity in patients with schizophrenia.
SCZ Keywordsschizophrenia, schizophrenic
10Eur. J. Hum. Genet. 2006 May 14: 520-8
PMID16538224
TitleNew variants in the mitochondrial genomes of schizophrenic patients.
AbstractThe impaired mitochondrial function hypothesis in schizophrenia is based on evidence of altered brain metabolism, morphology, biochemistry and gene expression. Mitochondria have their own genome, which is needed to synthesize some of the subunits of the respiratory chain enzymes. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is maternally inherited and we observed an excess of maternal transmission of schizophrenia in a set of parent-offspring affected pairs. We therefore hypothesized that mutations in the mtDNA may contribute to the complex genetic basis of schizophrenia. The entire mtDNA of six schizophrenic patients with an apparent maternal transmission of the disease was sequenced and compared to the reference sequence. We have identified 50 variants and among these six have not been previously reported. Three of them were missense variants: MTCO2 7750C>A, MTATP6 8857G>A and MTND4 12096T>A. These were maternally inherited because they were also present in the mtDNA of their respective schizophrenic mothers and none of them were found in 95 control individuals. The MTND4 12096T>A (Leu446His) is a heteroplasmic variant present in five of the six mother-offspring patient pairs that triggers a non-conservative substitution in the ND4 subunit of complex I. Sequence alignment of 110 ND4 peptides from all eukaryotic kingdoms shows that only hydrophobic amino acids are found in this position. Moreover, leucine was conserved or substituted by an isoleucine in all mammalian species. This indicates that the presence of histidine could affect complex I activity in patients with schizophrenia.
SCZ Keywordsschizophrenia, schizophrenic
11Eur. J. Hum. Genet. 2006 May 14: 520-8
PMID16538224
TitleNew variants in the mitochondrial genomes of schizophrenic patients.
AbstractThe impaired mitochondrial function hypothesis in schizophrenia is based on evidence of altered brain metabolism, morphology, biochemistry and gene expression. Mitochondria have their own genome, which is needed to synthesize some of the subunits of the respiratory chain enzymes. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is maternally inherited and we observed an excess of maternal transmission of schizophrenia in a set of parent-offspring affected pairs. We therefore hypothesized that mutations in the mtDNA may contribute to the complex genetic basis of schizophrenia. The entire mtDNA of six schizophrenic patients with an apparent maternal transmission of the disease was sequenced and compared to the reference sequence. We have identified 50 variants and among these six have not been previously reported. Three of them were missense variants: MTCO2 7750C>A, MTATP6 8857G>A and MTND4 12096T>A. These were maternally inherited because they were also present in the mtDNA of their respective schizophrenic mothers and none of them were found in 95 control individuals. The MTND4 12096T>A (Leu446His) is a heteroplasmic variant present in five of the six mother-offspring patient pairs that triggers a non-conservative substitution in the ND4 subunit of complex I. Sequence alignment of 110 ND4 peptides from all eukaryotic kingdoms shows that only hydrophobic amino acids are found in this position. Moreover, leucine was conserved or substituted by an isoleucine in all mammalian species. This indicates that the presence of histidine could affect complex I activity in patients with schizophrenia.
SCZ Keywordsschizophrenia, schizophrenic
12Eur. J. Hum. Genet. 2006 May 14: 520-8
PMID16538224
TitleNew variants in the mitochondrial genomes of schizophrenic patients.
AbstractThe impaired mitochondrial function hypothesis in schizophrenia is based on evidence of altered brain metabolism, morphology, biochemistry and gene expression. Mitochondria have their own genome, which is needed to synthesize some of the subunits of the respiratory chain enzymes. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is maternally inherited and we observed an excess of maternal transmission of schizophrenia in a set of parent-offspring affected pairs. We therefore hypothesized that mutations in the mtDNA may contribute to the complex genetic basis of schizophrenia. The entire mtDNA of six schizophrenic patients with an apparent maternal transmission of the disease was sequenced and compared to the reference sequence. We have identified 50 variants and among these six have not been previously reported. Three of them were missense variants: MTCO2 7750C>A, MTATP6 8857G>A and MTND4 12096T>A. These were maternally inherited because they were also present in the mtDNA of their respective schizophrenic mothers and none of them were found in 95 control individuals. The MTND4 12096T>A (Leu446His) is a heteroplasmic variant present in five of the six mother-offspring patient pairs that triggers a non-conservative substitution in the ND4 subunit of complex I. Sequence alignment of 110 ND4 peptides from all eukaryotic kingdoms shows that only hydrophobic amino acids are found in this position. Moreover, leucine was conserved or substituted by an isoleucine in all mammalian species. This indicates that the presence of histidine could affect complex I activity in patients with schizophrenia.
SCZ Keywordsschizophrenia, schizophrenic
13Schizophr Bull 2007 Nov 33: 1343-53
PMID17329232
TitleeIF2B and oligodendrocyte survival: where nature and nurture meet in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia?
AbstractBipolar disorder and schizophrenia share common chromosomal susceptibility loci and many risk-promoting genes. Oligodendrocyte cell loss and hypomyelination are common to both diseases. A number of environmental risk factors including famine, viral infection, and prenatal or childhood stress may also predispose to schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. In cells, related stressors (starvation, viruses, cytokines, oxidative, and endoplasmic reticulum stress) activate a series of eIF2-alpha kinases, which arrest protein synthesis via the eventual inhibition, by phosphorylated eIF2-alpha, of the translation initiation factor eIF2B. Growth factors increase protein synthesis via eIF2B activation and counterbalance this system. The control of protein synthesis by eIF2-alpha kinases is also engaged by long-term potentiation and repressed by long-term depression, mediated by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and metabotropic glutamate receptors. Many genes reportedly associated with both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder code for proteins within or associated with this network. These include NMDA (GRIN1, GRIN2A, GRIN2B) and metabotropic (GRM3, GRM4) glutamate receptors, growth factors (BDNF, NRG1), and many of their downstream signaling components or accomplices (AKT1, DAO, DAOA, DISC1, DTNBP1, DPYSL2, IMPA2, NCAM1, NOS1, NOS1AP, PIK3C3, PIP5K2A, PDLIM5, RGS4, YWHAH). They also include multiple gene products related to the control of the stress-responsive eIF2-alpha kinases (IL1B, IL1RN, MTHFR, TNF, ND4, NDUFV2, XBP1). Oligodendrocytes are particularly sensitive to defects in the eIF2B complex, mutations in which are responsible for vanishing white matter disease. The convergence of natural and genetic risk factors on this area in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia may help to explain the apparent vulnerability of this cell type in these conditions. This convergence may also help to reconcile certain arguments related to the importance of nature and nurture in the etiology of these psychiatric disorders. Both may affect common stress-related signaling pathways that dictate oligodendrocyte viability and synaptic plasticity.
SCZ Keywordsschizophrenia, schizophrenic
14Schizophr Bull 2007 Nov 33: 1343-53
PMID17329232
TitleeIF2B and oligodendrocyte survival: where nature and nurture meet in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia?
AbstractBipolar disorder and schizophrenia share common chromosomal susceptibility loci and many risk-promoting genes. Oligodendrocyte cell loss and hypomyelination are common to both diseases. A number of environmental risk factors including famine, viral infection, and prenatal or childhood stress may also predispose to schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. In cells, related stressors (starvation, viruses, cytokines, oxidative, and endoplasmic reticulum stress) activate a series of eIF2-alpha kinases, which arrest protein synthesis via the eventual inhibition, by phosphorylated eIF2-alpha, of the translation initiation factor eIF2B. Growth factors increase protein synthesis via eIF2B activation and counterbalance this system. The control of protein synthesis by eIF2-alpha kinases is also engaged by long-term potentiation and repressed by long-term depression, mediated by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and metabotropic glutamate receptors. Many genes reportedly associated with both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder code for proteins within or associated with this network. These include NMDA (GRIN1, GRIN2A, GRIN2B) and metabotropic (GRM3, GRM4) glutamate receptors, growth factors (BDNF, NRG1), and many of their downstream signaling components or accomplices (AKT1, DAO, DAOA, DISC1, DTNBP1, DPYSL2, IMPA2, NCAM1, NOS1, NOS1AP, PIK3C3, PIP5K2A, PDLIM5, RGS4, YWHAH). They also include multiple gene products related to the control of the stress-responsive eIF2-alpha kinases (IL1B, IL1RN, MTHFR, TNF, ND4, NDUFV2, XBP1). Oligodendrocytes are particularly sensitive to defects in the eIF2B complex, mutations in which are responsible for vanishing white matter disease. The convergence of natural and genetic risk factors on this area in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia may help to explain the apparent vulnerability of this cell type in these conditions. This convergence may also help to reconcile certain arguments related to the importance of nature and nurture in the etiology of these psychiatric disorders. Both may affect common stress-related signaling pathways that dictate oligodendrocyte viability and synaptic plasticity.
SCZ Keywordsschizophrenia, schizophrenic
15Schizophr Bull 2007 Nov 33: 1343-53
PMID17329232
TitleeIF2B and oligodendrocyte survival: where nature and nurture meet in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia?
AbstractBipolar disorder and schizophrenia share common chromosomal susceptibility loci and many risk-promoting genes. Oligodendrocyte cell loss and hypomyelination are common to both diseases. A number of environmental risk factors including famine, viral infection, and prenatal or childhood stress may also predispose to schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. In cells, related stressors (starvation, viruses, cytokines, oxidative, and endoplasmic reticulum stress) activate a series of eIF2-alpha kinases, which arrest protein synthesis via the eventual inhibition, by phosphorylated eIF2-alpha, of the translation initiation factor eIF2B. Growth factors increase protein synthesis via eIF2B activation and counterbalance this system. The control of protein synthesis by eIF2-alpha kinases is also engaged by long-term potentiation and repressed by long-term depression, mediated by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and metabotropic glutamate receptors. Many genes reportedly associated with both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder code for proteins within or associated with this network. These include NMDA (GRIN1, GRIN2A, GRIN2B) and metabotropic (GRM3, GRM4) glutamate receptors, growth factors (BDNF, NRG1), and many of their downstream signaling components or accomplices (AKT1, DAO, DAOA, DISC1, DTNBP1, DPYSL2, IMPA2, NCAM1, NOS1, NOS1AP, PIK3C3, PIP5K2A, PDLIM5, RGS4, YWHAH). They also include multiple gene products related to the control of the stress-responsive eIF2-alpha kinases (IL1B, IL1RN, MTHFR, TNF, ND4, NDUFV2, XBP1). Oligodendrocytes are particularly sensitive to defects in the eIF2B complex, mutations in which are responsible for vanishing white matter disease. The convergence of natural and genetic risk factors on this area in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia may help to explain the apparent vulnerability of this cell type in these conditions. This convergence may also help to reconcile certain arguments related to the importance of nature and nurture in the etiology of these psychiatric disorders. Both may affect common stress-related signaling pathways that dictate oligodendrocyte viability and synaptic plasticity.
SCZ Keywordsschizophrenia, schizophrenic
16Am. J. Med. Genet. B Neuropsychiatr. Genet. 2013 Mar 162B: 213-23
PMID23355257
TitleMitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in brain samples from patients with major psychiatric disorders: gene expression profiles, mtDNA content and presence of the mtDNA common deletion.
AbstractSeveral lines of evidence support a mitochondrial dysfunction in major psychiatric disorders. The objective of this study was to determine whether mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) expression or content are implicated in the mitochondrial dysfunction observed in schizophrenia (SCH), bipolar disorder (BD), and major depressive disorder (MDD). MtDNA gene expression and mtDNA content (including the MT-ND4 deletion) were measured by RT-qPCR and qPCR, respectively. Post-mortem brain tissue from 60 subjects, divided evenly into four diagnostic groups (SCH, BD, MDD, and control (C)), was analyzed. MT-ND1 gene expression was significantly increased in the BD group compared with the C group. MDD and SCH patients showed a similar pattern of mtDNA expression, which was different from that in BD patients. Similarly, a larger number of MDD and SCH patients tended to have the MT-ND4 gene deleted compared with BD and C subjects. However, no other significant differences were observed in mtDNA gene expression and mtDNA content. Notably, high variability was observed in the mtDNA gene expression and content in each diagnostic group. Previous studies and the present work provide evidence for a role of mtDNA in SCH, BD and MDD. However, further studies with larger patient and control groups as well as by analyzing distinct brain regions are needed to elucidate the role of mtDNA in major psychiatric disorders.
SCZ Keywordsschizophrenia, schizophrenic
17Am. J. Med. Genet. B Neuropsychiatr. Genet. 2013 Mar 162B: 213-23
PMID23355257
TitleMitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in brain samples from patients with major psychiatric disorders: gene expression profiles, mtDNA content and presence of the mtDNA common deletion.
AbstractSeveral lines of evidence support a mitochondrial dysfunction in major psychiatric disorders. The objective of this study was to determine whether mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) expression or content are implicated in the mitochondrial dysfunction observed in schizophrenia (SCH), bipolar disorder (BD), and major depressive disorder (MDD). MtDNA gene expression and mtDNA content (including the MT-ND4 deletion) were measured by RT-qPCR and qPCR, respectively. Post-mortem brain tissue from 60 subjects, divided evenly into four diagnostic groups (SCH, BD, MDD, and control (C)), was analyzed. MT-ND1 gene expression was significantly increased in the BD group compared with the C group. MDD and SCH patients showed a similar pattern of mtDNA expression, which was different from that in BD patients. Similarly, a larger number of MDD and SCH patients tended to have the MT-ND4 gene deleted compared with BD and C subjects. However, no other significant differences were observed in mtDNA gene expression and mtDNA content. Notably, high variability was observed in the mtDNA gene expression and content in each diagnostic group. Previous studies and the present work provide evidence for a role of mtDNA in SCH, BD and MDD. However, further studies with larger patient and control groups as well as by analyzing distinct brain regions are needed to elucidate the role of mtDNA in major psychiatric disorders.
SCZ Keywordsschizophrenia, schizophrenic
18Am. J. Med. Genet. B Neuropsychiatr. Genet. 2013 Mar 162B: 213-23
PMID23355257
TitleMitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in brain samples from patients with major psychiatric disorders: gene expression profiles, mtDNA content and presence of the mtDNA common deletion.
AbstractSeveral lines of evidence support a mitochondrial dysfunction in major psychiatric disorders. The objective of this study was to determine whether mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) expression or content are implicated in the mitochondrial dysfunction observed in schizophrenia (SCH), bipolar disorder (BD), and major depressive disorder (MDD). MtDNA gene expression and mtDNA content (including the MT-ND4 deletion) were measured by RT-qPCR and qPCR, respectively. Post-mortem brain tissue from 60 subjects, divided evenly into four diagnostic groups (SCH, BD, MDD, and control (C)), was analyzed. MT-ND1 gene expression was significantly increased in the BD group compared with the C group. MDD and SCH patients showed a similar pattern of mtDNA expression, which was different from that in BD patients. Similarly, a larger number of MDD and SCH patients tended to have the MT-ND4 gene deleted compared with BD and C subjects. However, no other significant differences were observed in mtDNA gene expression and mtDNA content. Notably, high variability was observed in the mtDNA gene expression and content in each diagnostic group. Previous studies and the present work provide evidence for a role of mtDNA in SCH, BD and MDD. However, further studies with larger patient and control groups as well as by analyzing distinct brain regions are needed to elucidate the role of mtDNA in major psychiatric disorders.
SCZ Keywordsschizophrenia, schizophrenic