Feinberg
Northwestern Medicine | Northwestern University | Faculty Profiles

News Center

  • Categories
    • Campus News
    • Disease Discoveries
    • Clinical Breakthroughs
    • Education News
    • Scientific Advances
  • Press Releases
  • Media Coverage
  • Podcasts
  • Editor’s Picks
    • COVID-19
    • Cardiology
    • Cancer
    • Neurology and Neuroscience
    • Aging and Longevity
    • Artificial Intelligence in Medicine
  • News Archives
  • About Us
    • Media Contact
    • Share Your News
    • News Feeds
    • Social Media
    • Contact Us
Menu
  • Categories
    • Campus News
    • Disease Discoveries
    • Clinical Breakthroughs
    • Education News
    • Scientific Advances
  • Press Releases
  • Media Coverage
  • Podcasts
  • Editor’s Picks
    • COVID-19
    • Cardiology
    • Cancer
    • Neurology and Neuroscience
    • Aging and Longevity
    • Artificial Intelligence in Medicine
  • News Archives
  • About Us
    • Media Contact
    • Share Your News
    • News Feeds
    • Social Media
    • Contact Us
Home » Reversing Effects of Schizophrenia Mutations at the Cellular Level
Disease Discoveries

Reversing Effects of Schizophrenia Mutations at the Cellular Level

By Claire DonnellyAug 9, 2016
Share
Facebook Twitter Email
Penzes-gene-network
Investigators used network analysis to identify important nodes in the protein-protein network of genes related to schizophrenia.

New Northwestern Medicine research could enhance scientists’ understanding of schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders. In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), investigators used a drug that targets a network hub of schizophrenia-related genes in mouse model neurons to reverse the appearance of a phenotype traditionally associated with the disease.

The team focused on the dendrites, or receptive fields, of mouse model neurons.

“What we found was that the dendrites of neurons from the microduplication mice were more branched,” said co-author Peter Penzes, PhD, professor of Physiology and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

Mice that had a microduplication, or genetic copy number variation, at the 16p11.2 gene location had longer dendrites, meaning their brain cells were hyperconnected. Microduplication at that gene location has previously been associated with psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder.

In this study, scientists decided to locate the gene that could reverse this dendrite overgrowth, rather than trying to find the genes responsible for causing the alteration. They used network analysis to identify important nodes in the protein-protein network of genes related to schizophrenia, including 16p11.2.

“This is probably the first study in this field where network biology was used to identify a target for correcting disease-related alteration,” Penzes said.

Penzes and his co-authors found that the most highly-connected node in the molecular network was MAPK3, a kinase that encodes ERK1 MAP kinase. By targeting this node with an inhibiting drug, the investigators reversed the changes in the dendrites, keeping them from becoming hyperconnected, and suggesting a potential approach for future treatment.

“We think that MAPK3 is a driver of reversal of the phenotype,” Penzes said. “It may not be what causes this dendritic alteration, but clearly if we inhibit it, it reverses the phenotype.”

This research was supported by National Institute of Mental Health grants MH071316, MH097216, MH071616, MH084803 and R21MH102685 and a Swiss National Science Foundation Early Postdoc Mobility Fellowship.

Physiology Psychiatry Research
Share. Facebook Twitter Email

Related Posts

Coaxing Hair Growth in Aging Hair Follicle Stem Cells

Jun 9, 2023

New Therapeutic Target for Osteoarthritis Identified 

Jun 9, 2023

Largest Cell Map of Human Lung Reveals Insights Into Disease

Jun 8, 2023

Comments are closed.

Latest News

Coaxing Hair Growth in Aging Hair Follicle Stem Cells

Jun 9, 2023

New Therapeutic Target for Osteoarthritis Identified 

Jun 9, 2023

Largest Cell Map of Human Lung Reveals Insights Into Disease

Jun 8, 2023

McNally Honored with Walder Award

Jun 8, 2023

Biological Aging Increases Risk of Depression, Anxiety in Adults 

Jun 7, 2023
  • News Center Home
  • Categories
  • Press Release
  • Media Coverage
  • Editor’s Picks
  • News Archives
  • About Us
Flickr Photos
ANB05555
ANB08990
ANB09022
ANB09063
ANB09008
ANB08781
ANB08971
ANB09000
ANB08992
ANB09015
ANB09058
ANB09048

Northwestern University logo

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

RSS Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr YouTube Instagram
Copyright © 2023 Northwestern University
  • Contact Northwestern University
  • Disclaimer
  • Campus Emergency Information
  • Policy Statements

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.