Monoamine oxidase A gene promoter methylation and transcriptional downregulation in an offender population with antisocial personality disorder.

Br J Psychiatry

D. Checknita, MSc, G. Maussion, PhD, McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; B. Labonté, PhD, Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA; S. Comai, PhD, Neurobiological Psychiatry Unit, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; R. E. Tremblay, PhD, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Population Science, University College, Dublin, Ireland, and Departments of Pediatrics and Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada; F. Vitaro, PhD, School of Psycho-Education, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada; N. Turecki, McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; A. Bertazzo, PhD, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Univerity of Padua, Padua, Italy; G. Gobbi, MD, PhD, Neurobiological Psychiatry Unit, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; G. Côté, PhD, Institute Philippe-Pinel, Department of Psychology, Université de Québec à Trois-Rivères, Montreal, Canada; G. Turecki, MD, PhD, McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.

Published: March 2015

Background: Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is characterised by elevated impulsive aggression and increased risk for criminal behaviour and incarceration. Deficient activity of the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene is suggested to contribute to serotonergic system dysregulation strongly associated with impulsive aggression and antisocial criminality.

Aims: To elucidate the role of epigenetic processes in altered MAOA expression and serotonin regulation in a population of incarcerated offenders with ASPD compared with a healthy non-incarcerated control population.

Method: Participants were 86 incarcerated participants with ASPD and 73 healthy controls. MAOA promoter methylation was compared between case and control groups. We explored the functional impact of MAOA promoter methylation on gene expression in vitro and blood 5-HT levels in a subset of the case group.

Results: Results suggest that MAOA promoter hypermethylation is associated with ASPD and may contribute to downregulation of MAOA gene expression, as indicated by functional assays in vitro, and regression analysis with whole-blood serotonin levels in offenders with ASPD.

Conclusions: These results are consistent with prior literature suggesting MAOA and serotonergic dysregulation in antisocial populations. Our results offer the first evidence suggesting epigenetic mechanisms may contribute to MAOA dysregulation in antisocial offenders.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.114.144964DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

promoter methylation
12
maoa promoter
12
monoamine oxidase
8
antisocial personality
8
personality disorder
8
impulsive aggression
8
maoa
8
maoa gene
8
gene expression
8
dysregulation antisocial
8

Similar Publications

Flowering, a pivotal plant lifecycle event, is intricately regulated by environmental and endogenous signals via genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. Photoperiod is a crucial environmental cue that induces flowering by activating integrators through genetic and epigenetic pathways. However, the specific role of DNA methylation, a conserved epigenetic marker, in photoperiodic flowering remains unclear.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

DNA methylation is a stable epigenetic mark that plays a crucial role in plant life processes. However, the specific functions of DNA methylation in grape berry development remain largely unknown. In this study, we performed whole-genome bisulfite sequencing on 'Kyoho' grape and its early-ripening bud mutant 'Fengzao' at different developmental stages.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Estrogen through its receptors, ERα and ERβ, regulate various aspects of spermatogenesis and male fertility. Since the sperm epigenome is an important contributing factor to male fertility, we evaluated the effects of estrogen signaling activation through the ERs on sperm DNA methylome in adult rats. Whole genome-bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) in caudal sperm DNA was performed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

FOXS1, frequently inactivated by promoter methylation, inhibited colorectal cancer cell growth by promoting TGFBI degradation through autophagy-lysosome pathway.

J Adv Res

January 2025

Biomedical Research Center, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016 Zhejiang, China; Department of Pathology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016 Zhejiang, China. Electronic address:

Introduction: Tumor suppressor gene (TSG) inactivation by epigenetic modifications contributes to the carcinogenesis and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). Expression profiling and CpG methylomics revealed that a forkhead-box transcriptional factor, FOXS1, is downregulated and methylated in CRC.

Objectives: To assess the biological functions and underlying mechanisms of FOXS1 in colorectal cancer.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

SMYD3 plays a pivotal role in mediating the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process in breast cancer.

Biochem Biophys Res Commun

January 2025

Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China. Electronic address:

In previous reports, we highlighted the significant involvement of SMYD3, a histone methyltransferase (HMT), in various aspects of cancer progression, including cell adhesion, migration, and invasion. In this study, we delved deeper into understanding the relationship between SMYD3 and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) both in cell lines and clinical samples. Our investigation uncovered a notable correlation between heightened SMYD3 expression and the presence of EMT markers in human breast cancer tissues.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!