Expression analyses of the mitochondrial complex I 75-kDa subunit in early onset schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder: increased levels as a potential biomarker for early onset schizophrenia.
Searching for a peripheral biological marker for schizophrenia, we previously reported on elevated mitochondrial complex I 75-kDa subunit mRNA-blood concentrations in early onset schizophrenia (EOS). The aim of this study was to further evaluate the utility of this gene as a potential marker for schizophrenia. Both-schizophrenia and autism-are suggested to be neuronal maldevelopmental disorders with reports of mitochondrial dysfunction and increased oxidative stress. Therefore we have investigated the expression levels of mitochondrial complex I 75-kDa subunit mRNA in whole blood of children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and a group of adolescent acute first-episode EOS patients in comparison to matched controls. We have found that compared to the respective controls only the group of EOS patients-and not the ASD group-showed a significantly altered expression of the complex I 75-kDa subunit mRNA. Although further studies are necessary to test for the specificity of this marker, our findings point to the potential use of the mitochondrial complex I as a biomarker for schizophrenia.
Taurines
Regina
R
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany. Huennerkopf@kjp.uni-wuerzburg.de
Thome
Johannes
J
Duvigneau
J Catharina
JC
Forbes-Robertson
Sarah
S
Yang
Liya
L
Klampfl
Karin
K
Romanos
Jasmin
J
Müller
Sabine
S
Gerlach
Manfred
M
Mehler-Wex
Claudia
C
D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D042967:Electron Transport Complex I / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics
D015415:Biomarkers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042967:Electron Transport Complex I