Expressional changes of neuregulin-1 gene mRNA in peripheral blood from schizophrenia patients / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of anti-psychotic treatment on the expression of Neuregulin-1 (NRG1) mRNA in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of schizophrenia patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The NRG1 mRNA in peripheral blood lymphocytes was measured using semi-quantitative reverse transcription (RT)-PCR in 80 first-onset schizophrenia patients, 37 sibling controls and 83 non-related controls. The patients were treated with risperdone and quetiapine for 4 weeks. Positive and negative symptom scale (PANSS) was used to evaluate the severity and clinical efficacy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Prior to the treatment, the expression of NRG1 mRNA expression was significantly lower in patients than other two groups (F=73.004, P=0.000). From the second week on, the level of NRG1 mRNA expression in patients became significantly higher than before and gradually increased, whilst no significant difference between sib and non-sib controls. Prior to the treatment, there was significant correlation (r=-0.232, P=0.038) between the level of NRG1 mRNA and PANSS scores. Four weeks after the treatment, a significant correlation between the reduction rate of PANSS and the change of NRG1 mRNA (r=0.27, P=0.016).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The expression of NRG1 gene mRNA is associated with schizophrenia. Decreased expression of NRG1 may play a role in the development of schizophrenia, which can be improved by anti-psychotic drugs.</p>

Association analysis of neuregulin 1 gene polymorphism with schizophrenia in Chinese Han population / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the association of the Neuregulin 1(NRG1) gene polymorphism with schizophrenia by analyzing allele transmission in schizophrenic parent-proband trios.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Quantitative real-time PCR was used to check the genotypes of four SNPs-rs221533(C/T), rs7820838(C/T), 433E1006(A/G) and rs3924999(C/T), located at the 5o terminus of the Nrg1 gene, in 258 Chinese Han schizophrenic parent-proband trios. The transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) program (Genehunter software 2.0) was used to evaluate the association of the NRG1 gene with schizophrenia.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>For all the subjects, the genotypes of the 4 SNPs were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. In all the 258 parent-proband trios, there were significant transmission disequilibrium in allelic transmission of C, A, T from rs221533, 433E1006, rs3924999 loci respectively (rs221533: chi-square was 27.45, P was 0.000; 433E1006: chi-square was 56.08, P was 0.000; rs3924999: chi-square was 10.53, P was 0.001). Haplotype was analyzed at frequency exceeding 1%. In three-marker-haplotype, C/C/G and C/C/A (marker order: rs221533, rs7820838, 433E1006) transmitted predominantly(C/C/G: chi-square was 5.26, P was 45.08; C/C/A: chi-square was 0.026, P was 0.000). In four-marker-haplotype (marker order: rs221533, rs7820838, 433E1006, rs3924999), C/C/G/T, C/C/A/C and C/C/A/T showed transmission disequilibrium (C/C/G/T: chi-square was 10.71, P was 0.001; C/C/A/C: chi-square was 8.83, P was 0.006, C/C/A/T: chi-square was 27.00, P was 0.000). In the positive subtype of parent-proband trios, C/T/G/C hapoltype transmission was not observed.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The NRG1 gene polymorphism is significantly associated with schizophrenia in Chinese Han, especially in the positive subtype of schizophrenia.</p>

Association study of the polymorphisms of monoamine oxidase A genes with schizophrenia / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship between monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene polymorphisms and schizophrenia in a Chinese Han population.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Two hundred and twelve schizophrenic patients and 168 healthy controls were recruited according to CCMD-3. The polymorphisms of MAOA gene were determined with the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique. The case-control association analysis was adopted to analyze the frequencies of genotype and allele in schizophrenic patients and controls.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) The genotypes of MAOA gene were consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in patient group and control group (chi2 = 0.618, df= 2, P> 0.05; chi2 = 3.173, df= 2, P> 0.05). (2) The distributions of genotypes or alleles of MAOA genes had no significant difference between patient group and control group (P> 0.05). (3)Divided by sex, the frequency of CT genotype in male patients was higher than that in male controls (chi2 = 7.654, P= 0.022). (4) There were no significant differences of genotypic and allelic distribution in MAOA genes between schizophrenic patients with positive family history and schizophrenic patients with negative family history and among different clinical subtypes in schizophrenic patients (P> 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>No association between MAOA gene and schizophrenia is found in Chinese Han population, but CT genotype is likely to be a susceptible factor of male schizophrenia.</p>

Changes and Significances of Serum Leptin and Interleukin-1? before and after Treatment with Risperidone in Children with Schizophrenics / 实用儿科临床杂志

Objective To explore the changes and significances of serum leptin and interleukin-1?(IL-1?)before and after treatment with risperidone in children with schizophrenics.Methods Thirty-one cases with first-episode children with schizophrenia were chosen in patient group.Their body weight and height were measured before and 8 weeks after treatment with risperidone to calculate the body mass index(BMI),and their fasting serum leptin and IL-1? were assayed radio-immunity method.Thirty-one healthy controls were measured at the same time.Results BMI and the level of serum leptin in patients of post-treatment increased significantly compared with those of pre-treatment(all P