The research group has previously shown that the QKI gene is a possible contributing cause of schizophrenia. Now the scientists have found that QKI normally regulates the myelin genes, that is, the genes that govern the production of myelin, the insulation material for nerve fibers. Moreover, they can show that the genetic expression of QKI is altered in schizophrenic patients and that the change correlates directly with the change in the myelin gene expression.
"In schizophrenics, fewer myelin proteins and less myelin are produced, we believe. Since myelin functions as an insulating substance around nerve fibers, impulse transmission is hampered in schizophrenics," explains Elena Jazin, one of the researchers at Uppsala University.
The team of scientists has also seen that a variant of QKI called 7kb is the variant that changes most in schizophrenic patients. This 7kb also has a major effect on the expression of myelin genes in these patients.
It is hoped that the new findings will lead to improved treatment of schizophrenia in the future. "We hope that existing drugs can be altered so that more patients will be helped and the side effects reduced. Perhaps the findings will also lead to new medicines. But this will require research and will take a long time," explains Jazin.
The research team consists of Elena Jazin, Karolina Åberg and Peter Saetre from the Uppsala University. Niclas Jareborg from Astrazeneca has also participated.
The findings were published in the online edition of PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) in mid-April.
IDG.se
tisdag 9 februari 2010
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