| Identification of Plasma Biomarkers in Drug-Naïve Schizophrenia Using Targeted Metabolomics |
Qiao Su 
, Fuyou Bi
, Shu Yang
, Huiming Yan
, Xiaoxiao Sun
, Jiayue Wang
, Yuying Qiu
, Meijuan Li
, Shen Li
, Jie Li
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Tianjin Mental Health Institute, Tianjin Anding Hospital, Mental Health Center of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China |
Correspondence: Shen Li ,Tel: +86-22-88188875, Fax: +86-22-88188006, Email: lishen@tmu.edu.cn
Correspondence: Jie Li ,Tel: +86-22-88188155, Fax: +86-22-88188006, Email: jieli@tmu.edu.cn
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Received: April 18, 2023 Revised: June 5, 2023 Accepted: June 14, 2023 Published online: September 19, 2023 |
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| Abstract |
Objective
Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a severe psychiatric disorder with unknown etiology and lacking specific biomarkers. Herein, we aimed to explore plasma biomarkers relevant to SCZ using targeted metabolomics.
Methods
Sixty drug-naïve SCZ patients and 36 healthy controls were recruited. Psychotic symptoms were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. We analyzed the levels of 271 metabolites in plasma samples from all subjects using targeted metabolomics, and identified metabolites that differed significantly between the two groups. Then we evaluated the diagnostic power of the metabolites based on receiver operating characteristic curves, and explored metabolites associated with the psychotic symptoms in SCZ patients.
Results
Twenty-six metabolites showed significant differences between SCZ patients and healthy controls. Among them, 12 metabolites were phosphatidylcholines and cortisol, ceramide (d18:1/22:0), acetylcarnitine, and γ-aminobutyric acid, which could significantly distinguish SCZ from healthy controls with the area under the curve (AUC) above 0.7. Further, a panel consisting of the above 4 metabolites had an excellent performance with an AUC of 0.867. In SCZ patients, phosphatidylcholines were positively related with positive symptoms, and cholic acid was positively associated with negative symptoms.
Conclusion
Our study provides insights into the metabolite alterations associated with SCZ and potential biomarkers for its diagnosis and symptom severity assessment. |
| Key words
Schizophrenia; Metabolomics; Plasma; Biomarker; Phosphatidylcholines |
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