Schizophrenia and oxidative stress: glutamate cysteine ligase modifier as a susceptibility gene.

Abstract

Oxidative stress could be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, a major psychiatric disorder. Glutathione (GSH), a redox regulator, is decreased in patients' cerebrospinal fluid and prefrontal cortex. The gene of the key GSH-synthesizing enzyme, glutamate cysteine ligase modifier (GCLM) subunit, is strongly associated with schizophrenia in two case-control studies and in one family study. GCLM gene expression is decreased in patients' fibroblasts. Thus, GSH metabolism dysfunction is proposed as one of the vulnerability factors for schizophrenia.

• Authors: Mirjana Tosic, Jurg Ott, Sandra Barral, Pierre Bovet, Patricia Deppen, Fulvia Gheorghita, Marie-Louise Matthey, Josef Parnas, Martin Preisig, Michael Saraga, Alessandra Solida, Sally Timm, August G Wang, Thomas Werge, Michel Cuénod, Kim Quang Do
• Journal: American journal of human genetics (Am J Hum Genet) Vol. 79 Issue 3 Pg. 586-92 (Sep 2006) ISSN: 0002-9297 [Print] United States
• PMID: 16909399 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• RNA, Messenger
• Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase
• Glutathione

Topics

• Case-Control Studies
• Down-Regulation
• Fibroblasts (enzymology, metabolism)
• Gene Frequency
• Genetic Predisposition to Disease (genetics)
• Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase (genetics)
• Glutathione (metabolism)
• Humans
• Oxidative Stress (genetics)
• Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
• RNA, Messenger (analysis)
• Schizophrenia (enzymology, genetics)