Expression analysis of neuregulin-1 in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia

R Hashimoto, RE Straub, CS Weickert, TM Hyde… - Molecular …, 2004 - nature.com
R Hashimoto, RE Straub, CS Weickert, TM Hyde, JE Kleinman, DR Weinberger
Molecular psychiatry, 2004nature.com
Genetic linkage and association have implicated neuregulin-1 (NRG-1) as a schizophrenia
susceptibility gene. We measured mRNA expression levels of the three major isoforms of
NRG-1 (ie type I, type II, and type III) in the postmortem dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
(DLPFC) from matched patients and controls using real-time quantitative RT-PCR.
Expression levels of three internal controls—GAPDH, cyclophilin, and β-actin—were
unchanged in schizophrenia, and there were no changes in the absolute levels of the NRG …
Abstract
Genetic linkage and association have implicated neuregulin-1 (NRG-1) as a schizophrenia susceptibility gene. We measured mRNA expression levels of the three major isoforms of NRG-1 (ie type I, type II, and type III) in the postmortem dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) from matched patients and controls using real-time quantitative RT-PCR. Expression levels of three internal controls—GAPDH, cyclophilin, and β-actin—were unchanged in schizophrenia, and there were no changes in the absolute levels of the NRG-1 isoforms. However, type I expression normalized by GAPDH levels was significantly increased in schizophrenia DLPFC (by 23%) and positively correlated with antipsychotic medication dosage. Type II/type I and type II/type III ratios were significantly decreased (18 and 23% respectively). There was no effect on the NRG-1 mRNA levels of genotype at two SNPs previously associated with schizophrenia, suggesting that these alleles are not functionally responsible for abnormal NRG-1 expression patterns in patients. Subtle abnormalities in the expression patterns of NRG-1 mRNA isoforms in DLPFC may be associated with schizophrenia.
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