title: Methylation matters? Decreased methylation status of genomic DNA in the blood of schizophrenic twins.
abstract: Studies of schizophrenia inheritance in identical twins show a concordance of about 50%, which supports an epigenetic model. In our present study we investigated methylation of genomic DNA and promoter methylation of Reelin and SOX10 genes in peripheral blood of twins suffering from schizophrenia. Global DNA methylation was reduced (52.3%) in schizophrenic twins if compared with healthy control twins (65.7%). The reduced methylation was significant in males only. We also found a similar hypomethylation in the non-affected twins of discordant pairs and a mixed group of psychiatric controls. In discordant twins there was a relative hypermethylation of the SOX10 promoter. Within-pair-difference of methylation of Reelin promoter was significantly lower in monozygotic twins than in dizygotic twins.
authors.affiliation: Bezirkskrankenhaus Lohr am Main, Krankenhaus für Psychiatrie, Psychotherapie und Psychosomatische Medizin, Am Sommerberg, 97816 Lohr am Main, Germany. dominikus.boensch@bezirkskrankenhaus-lohr.de
authors.forename: Dominikus
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bönsch
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wunschel
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lenz
authors.forename: Gesa
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weisbrod
authors.forename: Heinrich
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sauer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000235:genetics; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D000091042:Reelin Protein; D055757:SOXE Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics*; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D000091042:Reelin Protein; C527923:SOX10 protein, human; D055757:SOXE Transcription Factors; C000717127:RELN protein, human; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases