Exonic deletions in IMMP2L in schizophrenia with enhanced glycation stress subtype

PLoS One. 2022 Jul 1;17(7):e0270506. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270506. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

We previously identified a subtype of schizophrenia (SCZ) characterized by increased plasma pentosidine, a marker of glycation and oxidative stress (PEN-SCZ). However, the genetic factors associated with PEN-SCZ have not been fully clarified. We performed a genome-wide copy number variation (CNV) analysis to identify CNVs associated with PEN-SCZ to provide an insight into the novel therapeutic targets for PEN-SCZ. Plasma pentosidine was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography in 185 patients with SCZ harboring rare CNVs detected by array comparative genomic hybridization. In three patients with PEN-SCZ showing additional autistic features, we detected a novel deletion at 7q31.1 within exons 2 and 3 of IMMP2L, which encodes the inner mitochondrial membrane peptidase subunit 2. The deletion was neither observed in non-PEN-SCZ nor in public database of control subjects. IMMP2L is one of the SCZ risk loci genes identified in a previous SCZ genome-wide association study, and its trans-populational association was recently described. Interestingly, deletions in IMMP2L have been previously linked with autism spectrum disorder. Disrupted IMMP2L function has been shown to cause glycation/oxidative stress in neuronal cells in an age-dependent manner. To our knowledge, this is the first genome-wide CNV study to suggest the involvement of IMMP2L exons 2 and 3 in the etiology of PEN-SCZ. The combination of genomic information with plasma pentosidine levels may contribute to the classification of biological SCZ subtypes that show additional autistic features. Modifying IMMP2L functions may be useful for treating PEN-SCZ if the underlying biological mechanism can be clarified in further studies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Comparative Genomic Hybridization
  • DNA Copy Number Variations
  • Endopeptidases
  • Exons
  • Genome-Wide Association Study
  • Humans
  • Oxidative Stress
  • Schizophrenia* / genetics
  • Schizophrenia* / pathology

Substances

  • Endopeptidases
  • IMMP2L protein, human

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI grant (18K07579 to MM; 16H05380, 17H05930, 19H04887, 20H03608 to MA; 19K17075 to AY; 17H05090 and 15K19720 to IK); the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) grant (JP20km0405216, JP20ek0109411, JP20dm0107160 to IK; JP20ak0101113, JP20ak0101126, JP20dk0307075, JP20dm0207075, and JP20dm0107087 to NO; JP20dm0107088 to MI; Uehara Memorial Foundation to MA; SENSHIN Medical Research Foundation to MA; Sumitomo Foundation to MA. The JSPS, AMED, Uehara Foundation, SENSHIN Medical Research Foundation, and Sumitomo Foundation had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; or decision to submit the manuscript for publication.