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Expression analyses of the mitochondrial complex I 75-kDa subunit in early onset schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder: increased levels as a potential biomarker for early onset schizophrenia

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Abstract

Searching for a peripheral biological marker for schizophrenia, we previously reported on elevated mitochondrial complex I 75-kDa subunit mRNA-blood concentrations in early onset schizophrenia (EOS). The aim of this study was to further evaluate the utility of this gene as a potential marker for schizophrenia. Both—schizophrenia and autism—are suggested to be neuronal maldevelopmental disorders with reports of mitochondrial dysfunction and increased oxidative stress. Therefore we have investigated the expression levels of mitochondrial complex I 75-kDa subunit mRNA in whole blood of children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and a group of adolescent acute first-episode EOS patients in comparison to matched controls. We have found that compared to the respective controls only the group of EOS patients—and not the ASD group—showed a significantly altered expression of the complex I 75-kDa subunit mRNA. Although further studies are necessary to test for the specificity of this marker, our findings point to the potential use of the mitochondrial complex I as a biomarker for schizophrenia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, Füchsleinstr. 15, 97080, Würzburg, Germany

    Regina Taurines, Karin Klampfl, Jasmin Romanos & Manfred Gerlach

  2. School of Medicine, Institute of Life Science, University of Wales, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK

    Johannes Thome, Sarah Forbes-Robertson & Liya Yang

  3. Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    J. Catharina Duvigneau

  4. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Steinhövelstr. 5, 89075, Ulm, Germany

    Sabine Müller & Claudia Mehler-Wex

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  1. Regina Taurines
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  2. Johannes Thome
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  3. J. Catharina Duvigneau
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Correspondence to Regina Taurines.

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Taurines, R., Thome, J., Duvigneau, J.C. et al. Expression analyses of the mitochondrial complex I 75-kDa subunit in early onset schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder: increased levels as a potential biomarker for early onset schizophrenia. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 19, 441–448 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-009-0074-z

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