Abstract
Cell-free mitochondrial DNA (cf-mtDNA) is a damage-associated molecular pattern that boosts the release of cytokines and induces the immune response of the body; therefore, it is closely related to mental diseases. This study aims to evaluate a potential link between cf-mtDNA and clinical progression in first-episode patients with schizophrenia. In this study, plasma cf-mtDNA levels in 34 first-episode patients with schizophrenia before and after 8 weeks of antipsychotic treatment were examined. In addition, the clinical progression of first-episode schizophrenia was assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). The copy number changes in the plasma cf-mtDNA (Δcf-mtDNA) were significantly correlated with changes in the PANSS scale scores (ΔPANSS) in first-episode patients with schizophrenia (ΔPANSS total score, P = 0.002; ΔPANSS positive score, P = 0.01). Plasma cf-mtDNA may represent a relevant tool in the future to assist in the assessment of clinical progression in first-episode patients with schizophrenia.
Highlights
Schizophrenia causes great suffering in afflicted patients, induces a severe burden to affected families, yields a high medical expenditure, and has gradually become a significant social problem [1]
Cf-mtDNA and First-Episode Schizophrenia unmethylated inflammatory CpG motifs is released into the circulatory system and activates the toll-like receptor 9 (TLR-9) signaling pathways and NLRP3 (NOD, LRR, and pyrin domaincontaining 3) inflammasome, which in turn boosts the release of cytokines
This study aims to investigate the plasma cf-mtDNA levels in drug-free first-episode patients with schizophrenia
Summary
Schizophrenia causes great suffering in afflicted patients, induces a severe burden to affected families, yields a high medical expenditure, and has gradually become a significant social problem [1]. Cf-mtDNA and First-Episode Schizophrenia unmethylated inflammatory CpG motifs is released into the circulatory system and activates the toll-like receptor 9 (TLR-9) signaling pathways and NLRP3 (NOD-, LRR-, and pyrin domaincontaining 3) inflammasome, which in turn boosts the release of cytokines (e.g., interleukin 6, interleukin 18, Interleukin 1β, and others). This induces the immune response of the body [3, 13–16]. This study aims to investigate the plasma cf-mtDNA levels in drug-free first-episode patients with schizophrenia. The putative changes in the plasma cf-mtDNA levels during firstepisode patients with schizophrenia are studied using antipsychotic treatments
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