Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci.  2022 Nov;20(4):685-693. 10.9758/cpn.2022.20.4.685.

DNA Methylation Pattern of Gene Promoters of MB-COMT, DRD2, and NR3C1 in Turkish Patients Diagnosed with Schizophrenia

• Aytac HM
• Oyaci Y
• Pehlivan M
• Pehlivan S

• KMID: 2536478
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.9758/cpn.2022.20.4.685

Abstract

Objective
We aim to evaluate the methylation status of membrane-bound catechol-O-methyltransferase (MB-COMT ) promotor, dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2 ), and nuclear receptor subfamily 3 group C member 1 (NR3C1 ) gene in patients with SCZ by comparing healthy controls.
Methods
A sample of 110 patients with SCZ and 100 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers was included in the study. The interview was started by filling out data forms that included sociodemographic and clinical information. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders was used to confirming the diagnosis according to DSM-IV-TR criteria. Then the patients were evaluated with the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale in terms of symptom severity. Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the methylation status of MB-COMT promotor, DRD2, and NR3C1 gene from DNA material.
Results
When we compared the percentages of MB-COMT promotor, DRD2 , and NR3C1 gene methylation status in SCZ patients with the healthy control group, the percentages of MB-COMT promotor (OR: 0.466; 95% CI: 0.268− 0.809; p = 0.006), DRD2 (OR: 0.439; 95% CI: 0.375−0.514; p ＜ 0.001), and NR3C1 (OR: 0.003; 95% CI: 0.001− 0.011; p ＜ 0.001) gene methylation status of SCZ was found to be significantly different from the control group. Whereas unmethylation of MB-COMT promotor and NR3C1 genes were associated with SCZ, the partial methylation of the DRD2 gene was related to the SCZ.
Conclusion
The MB-COMT promotor, DRD2 , and NR3C1 gene methylation status may be associated with the SCZ in the Turkish population.

Keyword

Schizophrenia; COMT; DRD2; NR3C1; Epigenetics; DNA methylation