DNA methylation in schizophrenia in different patient-derived cell types

Abstract

Epigenetics: A genome-wide picture in patient-derived cells Schizophrenia-associated differences in the DNA methylation status of patient-derived cells suggest it could affect early brain development. Mechanisms that control gene expression without altering the genetic code, such as DNA methylation, could explain how environmental risk factors contribute to schizophrenia in genetically susceptible individuals. Alan Mackay-Sim and colleagues from Griffith University, Australia, carried out genome-wide comparisons of DNA methylation in induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, olfactory neurosphere-derived cells and fibroblasts from patients and controls. Differences in the DNA methylation pattern between patient and control iPS cells, which could reflect what happens in the embryo, suggest a disease-associated effect very early on in development. Only five genes were differentially methylated in all three patient-derived cell types compared to controls. None of these genes has previously been associated with schizophrenia and may represent new targets for future research.