精神分裂症患者与饮用水锂元素水平关系及相关基因调查研究

Relationship between schizophrenia patients and lithium levels in drinking water and related genes

目的:精神分裂症(SZ)是一种慢性的可致残的精神疾病,具有一定的遗传性,但其发病原因尚不清楚。本课题通过临床调研,考察锂元素与精神分裂症关系,同时从基因层面探究锂元素与精神分裂症的内在机制关系。方法:收集陕西省内的精神分裂症患者病例,采集样本血液和头发,运用ELISA和实时定量PCR技术检测血清内相关因子GSK-3β、NRG1、ErbB4、Bcl-2、CSF2RA的mRNA和蛋白的表达水平。结果:在饮水中锂元素偏低的地区,精神分裂症患者比例显著升高,且其头发内锂元素含量也显著低于(P<0.05)正常人。此外, ELISA和Real-time PCR结果表明,精神分裂症患者血清内精神营养因子NRG1及其受体ErbB4,以及炎症细胞因子CSF2RA的和mRNA蛋白水平显著升高,锂的作用靶点GSK3β以及神经保护因子B淋巴细胞瘤-2(Bcl-2)的表达量显著下降。结论 :精神分裂症的发病机制可能与区域水质内锂含量的高低相关。

Objective:Schizophrenia is a chronic and disabling psychiatric disorder and has a strongly heritable disorder. However, the pathogenesis of SZ is not well known. In this study, we investigated the relationship and between lithium and schizophrenia through clinical investigation, and explored its intrinsic mechanism at the genetic level. Method:Schizophrenic patients and their bloods and hairs were collected from all the Shaanxi province. We determined the expression of GSK-3β, NRG1, ErbB4, Bcl-2 and CSF2RA in serum by ELISA and Real-time PCR. Results:Compared with healthy candidates, the proportion of schizophrenic patients increased significantly, but the content of lithium in their hairs was also significantly decreased ( P <0.05) in the areas with low lithium in drinking water. Besides, Real-time PCR and ELISA results showed that the expression of ErbB4, Bcl-2, CSF2RA increased and GSK-3β, NRG1 (mRNA and protein) decreased in serum in the Schizophrenic patients. Conclusion: The pathogenesis of schizophrenia may be related to the content of lithium in drink water.