A preliminary study of endocannabinoid system regulation in psychosis: Distinct alterations of CNR1 promoter DNA methylation in patients with schizophrenia

ADDARIO, D., Vincenzo MICALE, M. DI BARTOLOMEO, Tibor ŠTARK, M. PUCCI, Alexandra ŠULCOVÁ, M. PALAZZO, Zuzana BABINSKÁ, L. CREMASCHI, F. DRAGO, C.A. ALTAMURA, M. MACCARRONE and B. DELL'OSSO. A preliminary study of endocannabinoid system regulation in psychosis: Distinct alterations of CNR1 promoter DNA methylation in patients with schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Research. AMSTERDAM: ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV, vol. 188, OCT 2017, p. 132-140. ISSN 0920-9964. doi:10.1016/j.schres.2017.01.022. 2017.

Basic information

• Original name: A preliminary study of endocannabinoid system regulation in psychosis: Distinct alterations of CNR1 promoter DNA methylation in patients with schizophrenia
• Authors: ADDARIO, D. (380 Italy), Vincenzo MICALE (380 Italy, belonging to the institution), M. DI BARTOLOMEO (380 Italy), Tibor ŠTARK (703 Slovakia, guarantor, belonging to the institution), M. PUCCI (380 Italy), Alexandra ŠULCOVÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), M. PALAZZO (380 Italy), Zuzana BABINSKÁ (703 Slovakia, belonging to the institution), L. CREMASCHI (380 Italy), F. DRAGO (380 Italy), C.A. ALTAMURA (380 Italy), M. MACCARRONE (380 Italy) and B. DELL'OSSO (380 Italy).
• Edition: Schizophrenia Research, AMSTERDAM, ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV, 2017, 0920-9964.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Article in a journal
• Field of Study: 30215 Psychiatry
• Country of publisher: Netherlands
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• Impact factor: Impact factor: 3.958
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14110/17:00099040
• Organization unit: Faculty of Medicine
• Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2017.01.022
• UT WoS: 000415217800021
• Keywords in English: Endocannabinoid system (ECS); Cannabinoid receptor type-1; DNA methylation; Schizophrenia; Methylazoxymethanol (MAM) rat model
• Tags: EL OK
• Tags: International impact, Reviewed

Abstract

Compelling evidence supports the involvement of the endocannabinoid system(ECS) in psychosis vulnerability. We here evaluated the transcriptional regulation of ECS components in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from subjects suffering from bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder and schizophrenia, focusing in particular on the effects of DNA methylation. We observed selective alterations of DNA methylation at the promoter of CNR1, the gene coding for the type-1 cannabinoid receptor, in schizophrenic patients (N = 25) with no changes in any other disorder. We confirmed the regulation of CNR1 in a well-validated animal model of schizophrenia, induced by prenatal methylazoxymethanol (MAM) acetate exposure (N = 7 per group) where we found, in the prefrontal cortex, a significant increase in CNR1 expression and a consistent reduction in DNA methylation at specific CpG sites of gene promoter. Overall, our findings suggest a selective dysregulation of ECS in psychosis, and highlight the evaluation of CNR1 DNA methylation levels in PBMCs as a potential biomarker for schizophrenia. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Links

• LQ1601, research and development project: Name: CEITEC 2020 (Acronym: CEITEC2020)

Investor: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the CR

• MUNI/A/1063/2016, interní kód MU: Name: Experimentální a translační farmakologický výzkum a vývoj

Investor: Masaryk University, Category A