Overlooked and Misunderstood Gene Linked to Schizophrenia

Summary: A new study reports a gene previously linked to hypertension is also associated with schizophrenia and other mental health disorders.

Source: University of Aberdeen.

Scientists have discovered new evidence strengthening the link between a previously misunderstood gene and major mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and autism.

The University of Aberdeen-led research, published in Scientific Reports, expands on an unexpected finding by the same team two years ago that linked a poorly-understood gene with mental health disorders.

The 2014 study looked at five major groups of patients and identified that a mutation of the gene ULK4 was found far more frequently in patients with schizophrenia. The same mutation was also found in some people with bipolar disorder, depression and autism.

Before this Aberdeen work, ULK4 had previously been associated with hypertension but never before with mental health disorders.

In this latest study in collaboration with Tongji University, Shanghai, the team used cutting-edge techniques to ’turn off’ ULK4 in selected subsets of stem cells in the mouse brain. They then observed that the offspring of these stem cells turned up in the wrong places, become ’lost’ and ’communicated less’ with neighbouring nerve cells.

These problems were rectified fully when the ULK4 gene was ‘turned back on’.

They conclude that ULK4 plays an essential role in normal brain development and when defective, the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia is increased.

Schizophrenia is among the top 10 causes of human disability worldwide. The causes are highly variable with both genetic and environmental factors contributing to overall risk. Although the chances of inheriting the condition are estimated at between 60-80%, the genes responsible for causing the condition remain highly controversial. Identifying which genes are responsible for these diseases opens the way for the development of therapies to treat the symptoms of these conditions.

Image shows a DNA strand.
They conclude that ULK4 plays an essential role in normal brain development and when defective, the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia is increased. NeuroscienceNews.com image is for illustrative purposes only.

First author of the paper, Dr Bing Lang from the University’s Institute of Medical Sciences, said: “Schizophrenia and other mental health disorders are multi-faceted and it is extremely complicated to identify which genes, in combination with other environmental factors, contribute to people developing the condition.

“This latest study supports our highly novel findings that the ULK4 gene plays a role in normal brain development, and that a mutation in the gene contributes to the risk of several neurodevelopmental disorders.

“We hope that by fully understanding the roles of ULK4 in schizophrenia, this will pave the way for the development of new drugs to treat this devastating condition.”

About this genetics research article

Funding: The research was funded by the Carnegie Trust, Tenovus Scotland, British Council China, Chinese Scholarship Council, National Natural Science Foundation of China, the University of Aberdeen and Tongji University.

Source: Euan Wemyss – University of Aberdeen
Image Source: NeuroscienceNews.com image is in the public domain.
Original Research: Full open access research for “Control of cortex development by ULK4, a rare risk gene for mental disorders including schizophrenia” by Bing Lang, Lei Zhang, Guanyu Jiang, Ling Hu, Wei Lan, Lei Zhao, Irene Hunter, Michal Pruski, Ning-Ning Song, Ying Huang, Ling Zhang, David St Clair, Colin D. McCaig and Yu-Qiang Ding in Scientific Reports. Published online September 27 2016 doi:10.1038/srep31126

Cite This NeuroscienceNews.com Article

[cbtabs][cbtab title=”MLA”]University of Aberdeen. “Overlooked and Misunderstood Gene Linked to Schizophrenia.” NeuroscienceNews. NeuroscienceNews, 4 October 2016.
<https://neurosciencenews.com/schizoprenia-genetics-ulk4-5206/>.[/cbtab][cbtab title=”APA”]University of Aberdeen. (2016, October 4). Overlooked and Misunderstood Gene Linked to Schizophrenia. NeuroscienceNews. Retrieved October 4, 2016 from https://neurosciencenews.com/schizoprenia-genetics-ulk4-5206/[/cbtab][cbtab title=”Chicago”]University of Aberdeen. “Overlooked and Misunderstood Gene Linked to Schizophrenia.” https://neurosciencenews.com/schizoprenia-genetics-ulk4-5206/ (accessed October 4, 2016).[/cbtab][/cbtabs]


Abstract

Control of cortex development by ULK4, a rare risk gene for mental disorders including schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a debilitating familial neuropsychiatric disorder which affects 1% of people worldwide. Although the heritability for schizophrenia approaches 80% only a small proportion of the overall genetic risk has been accounted for, and to date only a limited number of genetic loci have been definitively implicated. We have identified recently through genetic and in vitro functional studies, a novel serine/threonine kinase gene, unc-51-like kinase 4 (ULK4), as a rare risk factor for major mental disorders including schizophrenia. Now using the approach of in utero gene transfer we have discovered that Ulk4 plays a key modulatory role in corticogenesis. Knockdown of Ulk4 leads to significantly decreased cell proliferation in germinal zones and profound deficits in radial migration and neurite ramification. These abnormalities can be reversed successfully by Ulk4 gene supplementation. Ulk4 also regulated acetylation of α-tubulin, an important post-translational modification of microtubules. We conclude that Ulk4 plays an essential role in normal brain development and when defective, the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia is increased.

“Control of cortex development by ULK4, a rare risk gene for mental disorders including schizophrenia” by Bing Lang, Lei Zhang, Guanyu Jiang, Ling Hu, Wei Lan, Lei Zhao, Irene Hunter, Michal Pruski, Ning-Ning Song, Ying Huang, Ling Zhang, David St Clair, Colin D. McCaig and Yu-Qiang Ding in Scientific Reports. Published online September 27 2016 doi:10.1038/srep31126

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