Changes in the cell-free DNA characteristics of the of patients with catatonic and paranoid schizophrenia compared with a healthy control

Abstract

CfDNA parameters of SZ patients with paranoid (N=54) and catatonic SZ (N=46) forms have been analyzed and compared with those of healthy controls. In the subjects from the both SZ forms, the mean cfDNA plasma concentration was twofold higher and NA of the plasma was higher than those in the healthy controls. In addition, peripheral blood lymphocytes of both SZ forms showed elevated levels of oxidized dna (8-OHDG) as well as increased number of double-stranded DNA breaks (flow Cytometry), and the ds-breaks level is higher in catatonic SZ. The cells with genomic DNA damages can undergo to unprogrammed cell death and contribute to circulating cfDNA. Increased DNase I activity in patients with schizophrenia promotes to cleave primarily AT-rich DNA-fragments and the accumulation of GC-rich fragments. Compared to those of healthy controls, plasma cfDNA samples of both SZ forms patients contained increased copy numbers of telomere DNA, as well as ribosomal RNA genes, and cf-rDNA concentration is higher in catatonic SZ group. Changes in cfDNA parameters was significantly higher in the catatonic SZ group, which may indicate a more pronounced inflammatory process.