Pathological research of schizophrenia focusing on One-carbon metabolism

• Project/Area Number: 16K19768
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Psychiatric science
• Research Institution: The University of Tokushima
• Principal Investigator: KINOSHITA Makoto 徳島大学, 病院, 助教 (40622478)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2017)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥900,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥2,600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥600,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000)
• Keywords: one-carbon metabolism / 統合失調症 / ビタミンB6 / ピリドキサール / 葉酸 / ホモシステイン / 遺伝学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We conducted a case-control study between serum pyridoxal levels and schizophrenia in a large Japanese cohort. Subsequently, we conducted a meta-analysis of association studies. Then, we investigated whether rs4654748, which was identified in a genome-wide association study as a vitamin B6-related SNP, was genetically implicated in schizophrenia in the Japanese population. Finally, we assessed the effect of serum pyridoxal levels on schizophrenia risk by a Mendelian randomization approach. Serum pyridoxal levels were significantly lower in patients with schizophrenia than in controls, not only in our cohort, but also in the pooled data set of the meta-analysis of association.
Serum folate concentration was significantly lower in schizophrenia patients. In the meta-analysis, serum folate concentration was significantly decreased in the patients with schizophrenia.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Decreased serum pyridoxal levels in schizophrenia: meta-analysis and Mendelian randomization analysis (2018)
  • Author(s): Tomioka Y, Numata S, Kinoshita M, Umehara H, Watanabe S, Nakataki M, Iwayama Y, Toyota T, Ikeda M, Yamamori H, Shimodera S, Tajima A, Hashimoto R, Iwata N, Yoshikawa T, Ohmori T
  • Journal Title: J Psychiatry Neurosci Volume: 43 Issue: 3 Pages: 170053-170053
  • DOI: 10.1503/jpn.170053
  • NAID: 120006772558
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access