Alternative splicing of SMPD1 coding for acid sphingomyelinase in major depression

Rhein C, Reichel M, Kramer M, Rotter A, Lenz B, Mühle C, Gulbins E, Kornhuber J (2017)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2017

Journal

Journal of Affective Disorders Elsevier

Book Volume: 209

Pages Range: 10-15

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2016.09.019

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a psychiatric disorder characterized by key symptoms that include depressed mood and a loss of interest and pleasure. A recently developed pathogenic model of MDD involves disturbed neurogenesis in the hippocampus, where the acid sphingomyelinase (ASM)/ceramide system plays an important role and is proposed as a molecular target for antidepressant action. Because alternative splicing of SMPD1 mRNA, coding for ASM, is relevant for the regulation of ASM enzymatic activity, we investigated the frequency of alternatively spliced ASM isoforms in peripheral blood cells of MDD patients versus healthy controls. METHODS: Because the full-length transcript variant 1 of SMPD1 (termed ASM-1) is the only known form within the splicing pattern that encodes an enzymatically fully active ASM, we determined a fraction of splice isoforms deviating from ASM-1 using PCR amplification and capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence analysis. RESULTS: ASM alternative splicing events occurred significantly less frequently in MDD patients compared to healthy subjects. After 5 days of antidepressant treatment, the frequency of alternatively spliced ASM isoforms decreased in those patients who were treated with a functional inhibitor of ASM activity (FIASMA) but remained constant in MDD patients treated with other antidepressant drugs. This effect was more pronounced when healthy male volunteers were treated with the FIASMAs fluoxetine or paroxetine, in contrast to a placebo group. LIMITATIONS: Patients were treated with different antidepressant drugs, depending on individual parameters and disease courses. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the ASM alternative splicing pattern could be a biological target with diagnostic relevance and could serve as a novel biomarker for MDD.

Authors with CRIS profile

Martin Reichel Department of Medicine 4 – Nephrology and Hypertension Andrea Rotter-Neubert Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Bernd Lenz Medizinische Fakultät Christiane Mühle Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Johannes Kornhuber Lehrstuhl für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie

Involved external institutions

Universitätsklinikum Jena DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Rhein, C., Reichel, M., Kramer, M., Rotter, A., Lenz, B., Mühle, C.,... Kornhuber, J. (2017). Alternative splicing of SMPD1 coding for acid sphingomyelinase in major depression. Journal of Affective Disorders, 209, 10-15. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2016.09.019

MLA:

Rhein, Cosima, et al. "Alternative splicing of SMPD1 coding for acid sphingomyelinase in major depression." Journal of Affective Disorders 209 (2017): 10-15.

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