Comprehensive gene expression analysis in bipolar disorder.
OBJECTIVE
To review recent findings by DNA microarray in bipolar disorder (BD).


METHODS
A literature search was performed.


RESULTS
Comprehensive gene expression analysis in the brain, peripheral blood cells, and olfactory neuroepithelium would be a promising strategy for the research of BD. To date, alterations in glutamate receptors (GR), mitochondria-related genes, chaperone genes, oligodendrocyte genes, and markers of gamma amino butyric acidergic (GABAergic) neurons in postmortem brains are replicated by several different strategies. However, alterations in mitochondria-related genes are associated with agonal factors, sample pH, and effects of drugs. Analysis of blood cells showed altered endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway and other molecular cascades. Analysis of olfactory epithelium showed altered expression of genes associated with apoptosis.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings warrant that comprehensive gene expression analysis by DNA microarray will be useful to identify the molecular cascades responsible for BD.
Kato
Tadafumi
T
Laboratory for Molecular Dynamics of Mental Disorders, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, Saitama, Japan. kato@brain.riken.jp
Kakiuchi
Chihiro
C
Iwamoto
Kazuya
K
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000235:genetics; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D060588:LIM Domain Proteins; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / Q000379:methods; D018079:Receptors, GABA / Q000235:genetics; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000235:genetics
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D060588:LIM Domain Proteins; C512485:PDLIM5 protein, human; D018079:Receptors, GABA; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate