Role of ADAMTS2 metalloprotease in schizophrenia

Schizophrenia affects 1% of the world’s population, resulting in a high personal, social and economic cost (Crespo-Facorro in press). 

In recent years, our group has described a set of over-expressed genes associated with the disease whose expression reverts to normal after three months of treatment, which are also associated with clinical improvement. ADAMTS2 is the most over-expressed gene in independent patient samples, and is moderated by antipsychotic action in respondent patients (Ruso-Julve et al, 2019). This line of research creates a translational bridge between clinical and basic research that will allow the following objectives to be met:

1. Generate transgenic mouse model over-expressing ADAMTS2 and investigate the influence of ADAMTS2 on the occurrence of schizophrenia. 
2. Study the interaction between ADAMTS2  and reelin. 
3. Test the basic findings in samples of respondent and non-respondent to antipsychotic treatment patients. 
4. To demonstrate the improvement in diagnosis and response prediction of the identified markers in new cohorts of patients.

More information:

– Crespo-Facorro B et al. (en prensa) ‘Head-To-Head Aripiprazole and risperidone comparison in the treatment of first-episode nonaffective psychosis: a 12-week randomized, flexible-dose, open-label trial’.

– Ruso-Julve, F. et al. (2019) ‘Dopaminergic control of ADAMTS2 expression through cAMP/CREB and ERK: molecular effects of antipsychotics’, Translational psychiatry. Nature Publishing Group UK, 9(1), p. 306.