Epigenetics in schizophrenia: a pilot study of global DNA methylation in different brain regions associated with higher cognitive functions

Attempts to discover genes that are involved in the pathogenesis of major psychiatric disorders have been frustrating and often fruitless. Concern is building about the need to understand the complex ways in which nature and nurture interact to produce mental illness. We analyze the epigenome in sev...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Alelú Paz, Raúl, Carmona, Francisco J., Sánchez Mut, Jose V., Cariaga Martínez, Ariel Ernesto|||0000-0003-1457-995X, González Corpas, Ana, Ashour Fernández, Nadia, Orea Martínez, María Jesús, Escanilla, Ana, Monje, Alfonso, Guerrero Márquez, Cármen, Saiz Ruiz, Jerónimo|||0000-0001-9625-167X, Esteller, Manel, Ropero Salinas, Santiago|||0000-0003-3522-8104
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2016
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Alcalá (UAH)
Repositorio:e_Buah Biblioteca Digital Universidad de Alcalá
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ebuah.uah.es:10017/59050
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10017/59050
https://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01496
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Psychology
cognition
executive function
memory
epigenetics
DNA methylation
schizophrenia
human brain
Medicina
Medicine
Descripción
Sumario:Attempts to discover genes that are involved in the pathogenesis of major psychiatric disorders have been frustrating and often fruitless. Concern is building about the need to understand the complex ways in which nature and nurture interact to produce mental illness. We analyze the epigenome in several brain regions from schizophrenic patients with severe cognitive impairment using high-resolution (450K) DNA methylation array. We identified 139 differentially methylated CpG sites included in known and novel candidate genes sequences as well as in and intergenic sequences which functions remain unknown. We found that altered DNA methylation is not restricted to a particular region, but includes others such as CpG shelves and gene bodies, indicating the presence of different DNA methylation signatures depending on the brain area analyzed. Our findings suggest that epimutations are not relatables between different tissues or even between tissues' regions, highlighting the need to adequately study brain samples to obtain reliable data concerning the epigenetics of schizophrenia.