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Epigenetic aberration of the human REELIN gene in psychiatric disorders

Molecular Psychiatry volume 12, pages 593–600 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Epigenetic genome modifications such as DNA methylation appear to be involved in various diseases. Here, we suggest that the levels of DNA methylation at the BssHII methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme sites in the human REELIN (RELN) gene in the forebrain vary among individuals. Interestingly, although a statistically significant correlation between the levels of DNA methylation in RELN and age was detected in healthy individuals, no such correlations were seen in either schizophrenic or bipolar patients. In addition, reverse correlations between DNA methylation levels and RELN expression were also detected in postmortem brain RNA and on in vitro assay. These data suggest the possibility that epigenetic aberration from the normal DNA methylation status of RELN may confer susceptibility to psychiatric disorders.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Drs Michael B Knable, E Fuller Torrey, Maree J Webster, and Robert H Yolken in the Stanley Medical Research Institute for kindly providing genomic DNA and RNA samples. We also thank H Kimura and K Kaneko for their encouragement. This work was supported in part by research grants from the Ministry of Health, Labor, Welfare in Japan, and by a Grant-in-Aid from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Neuroscience, NCNP, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan

    Y Tamura, H Kunugi & H Hohjoh

  2. Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    J Ohashi

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  1. Y Tamura
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Correspondence to H Hohjoh.

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Tamura, Y., Kunugi, H., Ohashi, J. et al. Epigenetic aberration of the human REELIN gene in psychiatric disorders. Mol Psychiatry 12, 593–600 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4001965

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