title: DNA methylation analysis of BDNF gene promoters in peripheral blood cells of schizophrenia patients.
abstract: Accumulating evidence suggests that epigenetic alterations in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) promoters are associated with the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders. Epigenetic changes in BDNF were reported not only in brain tissues but also in other tissues, including peripheral blood cells (PBC) and saliva. We examined DNA methylation levels of BDNF promoters I and IV using genomic DNA derived from PBC of healthy controls (n=100), and patients with schizophrenia (n=100), all from the Japanese population, by pyrosequencing. The examined CpG sites were chosen based on previous epigenetic studies that reported altered DNA methylation. We found a significantly higher level of methylation at BDNF promoter I in patients with schizophrenia compared to controls, although the difference was small. Subsequent analysis revealed that in controls, the methylation level of BDNF promoters was associated with sex, and the methylation difference observed in promoter I was more prominent in male patients with schizophrenia. Epigenetic alteration of BDNF in the PBC might reflect the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, and could be a potential biomarker.
authors: Department of Molecular Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan; Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
authors: Tempei
authors: T
authors: Ikegame
authors: Miki
authors: M
authors: Bundo
authors: Fumiko
authors: F
authors: Sunaga
authors: Tatsuro
authors: T
authors: Asai
authors: Fumichika
authors: F
authors: Nishimura
authors: Akane
authors: A
authors: Yoshikawa
authors: Yoshiya
authors: Y
authors: Kawamura
authors: Hiroyuki
authors: H
authors: Hibino
authors: Mamoru
authors: M
authors: Tochigi
authors: Chihiro
authors: C
authors: Kakiuchi
authors: Tsukasa
authors: T
authors: Sasaki
authors: Tadafumi
authors: T
authors: Kato
authors: Kiyoto
authors: K
authors: Kasai
authors: Kazuya
authors: K
authors: Iwamoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; C579455:BDNF protein, human
keywords: Epigenetic; Gender difference; Peripheral blood; Pyrosequencing