title: Low expression of catecholamine-O-methyl-transferase gene in obsessive-compulsive disorder.
abstract: This study examined peripheral catecholamine-O-methyl-transferase (COMT) gene expression in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients and healthy controls. Participants included 35 first episode OCD patients and 31 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Relative COMT gene expression levels were examined by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in peripheral blood of all the subjects. COMT gene expression levels, normalized by glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), were significantly decreased in the OCD group compared with healthy controls (F=6.244, p=0.015). OCD patients showed a 32% down-regulation. We also found lower COMT gene expression levels in female in comparison to male participants (F=5.366, p=0.024) in the sample as a whole. COMT gene expression down-regulation of male OCD patients relative to male controls is 38%, and that of female OCD patients relative to female controls is 27%. These results suggest that COMT gene expression down-regulation might play an important role in the development of OCD and that there may be gender differences in this alteration.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China. wangzhen@smhc.org.cn
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zeping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Sabra S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Inslicht
authors.forename: Huiqi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Wenhui
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Metzler
authors.forename: Charles R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Marmar
authors.forename: Sanduo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D005987:Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenases / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes; D008297:Male; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000235:genetics; D012313:RNA / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; C068142:glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (304-313); D012313:RNA; D005987:Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenases; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase