Application of cDNA microarrays to examine gene expression differences in schizophrenia

Using cDNA microarrays we have investigated gene expression patterns in bra in regions of patients with schizophrenia. A cDNA neuroarray, comprised of genes related to brain function, was used to screen pools of samples from t he cerebellum and prefrontal cortex from a matched set of subjects, and mid dle temporal gyrus, from a separate subject cohort. Samples of cerebellum a nd prefrontal cortex from neuroleptic naive patients were also included. Ge nes that passed a 3% reproducibility criterion for differential expression in independent experiments included 21 genes for drug-treated patients and 5 genes for drug-naive patients. Of these 26 genes, 10 genes were increased and 16 were decreased. Many of the differentially expressed genes were rel ated to synaptic signaling and proteolytic functions. A smaller number of t hese genes were also differentially expressed in the middle temporal gyrus. The five genes that were differentially expressed in two brain regions fro m separate cohorts are: tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5-monooxygenase activation protein, eta polypeptide; sialyltransferase; proteasome subunit , alpha type 1; ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal esterase LI; and solute carrier family 10, member 1. Identification of patterns of changes in gene express ion may lead to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of schizophre nia disorders. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc.