Histone deactylase 1 expression is increased in the prefrontal cortex of schizophrenia subjects: Analysis of the National Brain Databank microarray collection

Sharma, Rajiv P.; Grayson, Dennis R.; Gavin, David P.

doi:10.1016/j.schres.2007.09.020

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Volume 98, Issue 1 , Pages 111-117, January 2008

Histone deactylase 1 expression is increased in the prefrontal cortex of schizophrenia subjects: Analysis of the National Brain Databank microarray collection☆

Rajiv P. Sharma
- The Psychiatric Institute, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1601 W. Taylor St., Chicago, IL 60612, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago—College of Medicine, 912 S. Wood St., Chicago, IL 60612, United States
- Corresponding author. The Psychiatric Institute 1601 West Taylor Street Chicago, IL 60612, United States. Tel.: +1 312 413 4508; fax: +1 312 413 4503.
Dennis R. Grayson
- The Psychiatric Institute, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1601 W. Taylor St., Chicago, IL 60612, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago—College of Medicine, 912 S. Wood St., Chicago, IL 60612, United States
David P. Gavin
- The Psychiatric Institute, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1601 W. Taylor St., Chicago, IL 60612, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago—College of Medicine, 912 S. Wood St., Chicago, IL 60612, United States

Received 27 June 2007; received in revised form 10 September 2007; accepted 14 September 2007. published online 25 October 2007.

Abstract

Histone deactylase enzymes are responsible for the deacetylation of histone tails, and consequently influence gene regulation through their ability to modify chromatin structure surrounding promoter regions. We analyzed the microarray collection of the National Brain Databank to investigate differential expression of these enzymes in the prefrontal cortices of control, schizophrenia and bipolar subjects. HDAC1 expression levels were significantly higher in schizophrenia versus normal subjects. The mRNA expression level of an epigenetically regulated schizophrenia candidate gene GAD67 was strongly and negatively correlated with the mRNA expression levels of HDAC1, HDAC3 and HDAC4 levels. These findings provide additional support for the proposal that epigenetic factors are operative in the brain pathology of patients with schizophrenia.

Keywords: HDAC enzymes, GAD67 expression, Schizophrenia, Postmortem brain, Microarray, Gender, Age