1Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2009 Jul 106: 11731-6
PMID19564623
TitleSite-specific regulation of cell cycle and DNA repair in post-mitotic GABA cells in schizophrenic versus bipolars.
AbstractGABA cell dysfunction in both schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) involves decreased GAD(67) expression, although this change involves fundamentally different networks of genes in the 2 disorders. One gene that is common to these 2 networks is cyclin D2, a key component of cell cycle regulation that shows increased expression in SZ, but decreased expression in BD. Because of the importance of cell cycle regulation in maintaining functional differentiation and DNA repair, the current study has examined the genes involved in the G(1) and G(2) checkpoints to generate new hypotheses regarding the regulation of the GABA cell phenotype in the hippocampus of SZ and BD. The results have demonstrated significant changes in cell cycle regulation in both SZ and BD and these changes include the transcriptional complex (TC) that controls the expression of E2F/DP-1 target genes critical for progression to G(2)/M. The methyl-CpG binding domain protein (MBD4) that is pivotal for DNA repair, is significantly up-regulated in the stratum oriens (SO) of CA3/2 and CA1 in SZs and BDs. However, other genes associated with the TC, and the G(1) and G(2) checkpoints, show complex changes in expression in the SO of CA3/2 and CA1 of both SZs and BDS. Overall, the patterns of expression observed have suggested that the regulation of functional differentiation and/or genomic integrity of hippocampal GABA cells varies according to diagnosis and their location within the trisynaptic pathway.
SCZ Keywordsschizophrenia, schizophrenic
2Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2009 Jul 106: 11731-6
PMID19564623
TitleSite-specific regulation of cell cycle and DNA repair in post-mitotic GABA cells in schizophrenic versus bipolars.
AbstractGABA cell dysfunction in both schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) involves decreased GAD(67) expression, although this change involves fundamentally different networks of genes in the 2 disorders. One gene that is common to these 2 networks is cyclin D2, a key component of cell cycle regulation that shows increased expression in SZ, but decreased expression in BD. Because of the importance of cell cycle regulation in maintaining functional differentiation and DNA repair, the current study has examined the genes involved in the G(1) and G(2) checkpoints to generate new hypotheses regarding the regulation of the GABA cell phenotype in the hippocampus of SZ and BD. The results have demonstrated significant changes in cell cycle regulation in both SZ and BD and these changes include the transcriptional complex (TC) that controls the expression of E2F/DP-1 target genes critical for progression to G(2)/M. The methyl-CpG binding domain protein (MBD4) that is pivotal for DNA repair, is significantly up-regulated in the stratum oriens (SO) of CA3/2 and CA1 in SZs and BDs. However, other genes associated with the TC, and the G(1) and G(2) checkpoints, show complex changes in expression in the SO of CA3/2 and CA1 of both SZs and BDS. Overall, the patterns of expression observed have suggested that the regulation of functional differentiation and/or genomic integrity of hippocampal GABA cells varies according to diagnosis and their location within the trisynaptic pathway.
SCZ Keywordsschizophrenia, schizophrenic
3Alcohol. Clin. Exp. Res. 2013 Mar 37: 417-24
PMID22958170
TitleDNA methylation/demethylation network expression in psychotic patients with a history of alcohol abuse.
AbstractRecent studies suggest that protracted and excessive alcohol use induces an epigenetic dysregulation in human and rodent brains. We recently reported that DNA methylation dynamics are altered in brains of psychotic (PS) patients, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder patients. Because PS patients are often comorbid with chronic alcohol abuse, we examined whether the altered expression of multiple members of the DNA methylation/demethylation network observed in postmortem brains of PS patients was modified in PS patients with a history of chronic alcohol abuse.
DNA-methyltransferase-1 (DNMT1) mRNA-positive neurons were counted in situ in prefrontal cortex samples obtained from the Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center, Belmont, MA. 10-11-translocation (TETs 1, 2, 3), apolipoprotein B editing complex enzyme (APOBEC-3C), growth and DNA-damage-inducible protein 45? (GADD45?), and methyl-binding domain protein-4 (MBD4) mRNAs were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in inferior parietal cortical lobule samples obtained from the Stanley Foundation Neuropathology Consortium, Bethesda, MD.
We observed an increase in DNMT1 mRNA-positive neurons in PS patients compared with non-PS subjects. In addition, there was a pronounced decrease in APOBEC-3C and a pronounced increase in GADD45? and TET1 mRNAs in PS patients with no history of alcohol abuse. In PS patients with a history of chronic alcohol abuse, the numbers of DNMT1-positive neurons were not increased significantly. Furthermore, the decrease in APOBEC-3C mRNA was less pronounced, while the increase in TET1 mRNA had a tendency to be potentiated in those PS patients that were chronic alcohol abusers. GADD45? and MBD4 mRNAs were not influenced by alcohol abuse. The effect of chronic alcohol abuse on DNA methylation/demethylation network enzymes cannot be attributed to confounding demographic variables or to the type and dose of medication used.
Based on these results, we hypothesize that PS patients may abuse alcohol as a potential attempt at self-medication to normalize altered DNA methylation/demethylation network pathways. However, before accepting this conclusion, we need to study alterations in the DNA methylation/demethylation pathways and the DNA methylation dynamics in a substantial number of alcoholic PS and non-PS patients. Additional investigation may also be necessary to determine whether the altered DNA methylation dynamics are direct or the consequence of an indirect interaction of alcohol with the neuropathogenetic mechanisms underlying psychosis.
SCZ Keywordsschizophrenia, schizophrenic