title: Gene expression analysis in blood of ultra-high risk subjects compared to first-episode of psychosis patients and controls.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to investigate peripheral blood gene expression in ultra-high-risk subjects (UHR) compared to first-episode psychosis individuals (FEP) and healthy controls (HC).
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 22 UHR, 66 FEP and 67 HC and investigated the expression of 12 genes using Taqman assays. We used the Univariate General Linear Model, as well as Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that UFD1L (ubiquitin fusion degradation 1 like (yeast)) gene was upregulated in UHR group compared to HC and FEP (P = 3.44 × 10-6; P = 9.41 × 10-6). MBP (myelin basic protein) was downregulated in UHR compared to FEP (P = 6.07 × 10-6). DISC1 (disrupted in schizophrenia 1) was also upregulated in UHR compared to FEP but lost statistical significance when corrected for age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These genes are directly related to neurodevelopmental processes and have been associated to schizophrenia. Recent findings described that DISC1 overexpression can disrupt MBP expression, thus, we think that these alterations in UHR individuals could be associated with a common process. UFD1L showed a different pattern of expression only for UHR group, suggesting that they can be under an acute endoplasmatic reticulum stress, demanding elevated levels of Ufd1. Further studies can improve knowledge on disease progression and putative targets to preventive strategies.
authors.affiliation: a Genetics Division, Department of Morphology and Genetics , Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo (UNIFESP) , São Paulo , Brazil.|b LiNC - Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Neurosciences, UNIFESP , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcos Leite
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Santoro
authors.affiliation: b LiNC - Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Neurosciences, UNIFESP , São Paulo , Brazil.|c PRISMA - Program of Recognition and Intervention in subjects At-Risk Mental States, UNIFESP , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: Ary
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gadelha
authors.affiliation: a Genetics Division, Department of Morphology and Genetics , Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo (UNIFESP) , São Paulo , Brazil.|b LiNC - Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Neurosciences, UNIFESP , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: Vanessa K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Ota
authors.affiliation: c PRISMA - Program of Recognition and Intervention in subjects At-Risk Mental States, UNIFESP , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: Graccielle R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.affiliation: c PRISMA - Program of Recognition and Intervention in subjects At-Risk Mental States, UNIFESP , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: Elson
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Asevedo
authors.affiliation: c PRISMA - Program of Recognition and Intervention in subjects At-Risk Mental States, UNIFESP , São Paulo , Brazil.|d Department of Psychiatry , Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo (ISCMSP) , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: Cristiano S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Noto
authors.affiliation: a Genetics Division, Department of Morphology and Genetics , Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo (UNIFESP) , São Paulo , Brazil.|b LiNC - Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Neurosciences, UNIFESP , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: Leticia M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Spindola
authors.affiliation: b LiNC - Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Neurosciences, UNIFESP , São Paulo , Brazil.|c PRISMA - Program of Recognition and Intervention in subjects At-Risk Mental States, UNIFESP , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: Pedro M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: a Genetics Division, Department of Morphology and Genetics , Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo (UNIFESP) , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Talarico
authors.affiliation: b LiNC - Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Neurosciences, UNIFESP , São Paulo , Brazil.|c PRISMA - Program of Recognition and Intervention in subjects At-Risk Mental States, UNIFESP , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Mansur
authors.affiliation: a Genetics Division, Department of Morphology and Genetics , Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo (UNIFESP) , São Paulo , Brazil.|b LiNC - Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Neurosciences, UNIFESP , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: Patricia N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: b LiNC - Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Neurosciences, UNIFESP , São Paulo , Brazil.|c PRISMA - Program of Recognition and Intervention in subjects At-Risk Mental States, UNIFESP , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brietzke
authors.affiliation: d Department of Psychiatry , Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo (ISCMSP) , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: Quirino
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Cordeiro
authors.affiliation: b LiNC - Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Neurosciences, UNIFESP , São Paulo , Brazil.|c PRISMA - Program of Recognition and Intervention in subjects At-Risk Mental States, UNIFESP , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bressan
authors.affiliation: a Genetics Division, Department of Morphology and Genetics , Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo (UNIFESP) , São Paulo , Brazil.|b LiNC - Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Neurosciences, UNIFESP , São Paulo , Brazil.
authors.forename: Sintia Iole
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Belangero
keywords: DISC1; MBP; UFD1L; gene expression; schizophrenia