Abstract
Background
RNA expression profiling can provide hints for the selection of candidate susceptibility
genes, for formulation of hypotheses about the development of a disease, and/or for
selection of candidate gene targets for novel drug development. We measured messenger
RNA expression levels of 16 candidate genes in brain samples from 55 schizophrenia
patients and 55 controls. This is the largest sample so far used to identify genes
differentially expressed in schizophrenia brains.
Methods
We used a sensitive real-time polymerase chain reaction methodology and a novel statistical
approach, including the development of a linear model of analysis of covariance type.
Results
We found two genes differentially expressed: monoamine oxidase B was significantly
increased in schizophrenia brain (p = .001), whereas one of the serotonin receptor genes, serotonin receptor 2C, was
significantly decreased (p = .001). Other genes, previously proposed to be differentially expressed in schizophrenia
brain, were invariant in our analysis.
Conclusions
The differential expression of serotonin receptor 2C is particularly relevant for
the development of new atypical antipsychotic drugs. The strategy presented here is
useful to evaluate hypothesizes for the development of the disease proposed by other
investigators.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
May 7,
2003
Received in revised form:
April 15,
2003
Received:
December 17,
2002
Identification
Copyright
© 2003 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
