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Altered TRPC7 gene expression in bipolar-I disorder
1Section of Biochemical Psychiatry, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health-Clarke Site, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Biological Psychiatry
|November 3, 2001
Summary
Reduced TRPC7 gene expression is linked to calcium (Ca2+) imbalance in some bipolar disorder patients. This finding may indicate a specific trait in bipolar disorder pathophysiology.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Altered calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis is implicated in bipolar disorder (BD).
- Storage-operated calcium entry (SOCE) plays a role in cellular Ca2+ regulation.
- TRPC7 and SERCA2s are proteins involved in SOCE.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate TRPC7 and SERCA2s expression in B lymphoblast cell lines (BLCLs) from BD patients.
- To determine the relationship between TRPC7/SERCA2s expression and intracellular Ca2+ levels in BD.
Main Methods:
- Comparative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction to quantify mRNA levels.
- Ratiometric spectrophotometry with Fura-2 to measure basal intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]B).
- Analysis of BLCLs from BD-I, BD-II, major depressive disorder patients, and healthy subjects.
Main Results:
- TRPC7 mRNA levels were significantly lower in BD-I patients with high [Ca2+]B compared to other groups.
- A significant inverse correlation was observed between TRPC7 mRNA levels and [Ca2+]B in the overall BD-I group.
- No significant differences were noted for SERCA2s expression (data not shown).
Conclusions:
- Reduced TRPC7 gene expression may be a characteristic feature in a subset of BD-I patients.
- This reduction could contribute to disturbances in calcium homeostasis observed in bipolar disorder.
- TRPC7 warrants further investigation as a potential biomarker for BD pathophysiology.