Gene-expression analysis of clozapine treatment in whole blood of patients with psychosis. (October 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Harrison, Rebecca N.S.; Murray, Robin M.; Lee, Sang Hyuck; Paya Cano, Jose; Dempster, David; Curtis, Charles J.; Dima, Danai; Gaughran, Fiona; Breen, Gerome; de Jong, Simone
• Is Part Of: Psychiatric genetics. Volume 26:Number 5(2016:Oct.)
• Publication Date: 2016-10
• Subjects: antipsychotics -- blood -- clozapine -- gene-expression network -- human -- lithium -- psychosis -- schizophrenia -- valproate -- weighted gene correlation network analysis; Mental illness -- Genetic aspects -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 616.89042
• DOI: 10.1097/YPG.0000000000000140
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0955-8829

Abstract

Abstract : Objectives: Clozapine is an atypical antipsychotic primarily prescribed for treatment-resistant schizophrenia. We tested the specific effect of clozapine versus other drug treatments on whole-blood gene expression in a sample of patients with psychosis from the UK. Methods: A total of 186 baseline whole-blood samples from individuals receiving treatment for established psychosis were analysed for gene expression on Illumina HumanHT-12.v4 BeadChips. After standard quality-control procedures, 152 samples remained, including 55 from individuals receiving clozapine. In a within-case study design, weighted gene correlation network analysis was used to identify modules of coexpressed genes. The influence of mood stabilizers, lithium carbonate/lithium citrate and sodium valproate was studied to identify their possible roles as confounders. Results: Individuals receiving clozapine as their only antipsychotic (clozapine monotherapy) had a nominal association with one gene-expression module, whereas no significant change in gene expression was found for other drugs. Conclusion: Overall, this study does not provide evidence that clozapine treatment induces medium to large different gene-expression patterns in human whole blood versus other antipsychotic treatments. This does not rule out the possibility of smaller effects as observed for other common antipsychotic treatments. Abstract : Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.