Given the poor biological understanding of psychiatric illnesses that lack diagnostic markers and monitoring methods, translational research in this field (in an approach that spans from the laboratory bench to the patient’s bedside) takes on enormous importance due to the high chance of success of its application in the optimization of drug therapy.

Research group GI-1685 in the Department of Pharmacology, carries out translational research in schizophrenia, with biological samples obtained from Galician patients. The genetic homogeneity and representativeness of the Galician population make it ideal for research in neuropsychiatry.

The aim of this research is to identify biomarkers and therapeutic targets by use of a pharmacogenomic and pharmacoproteomic approach. The study involves use of blood samples from patients suffering from schizophrenia and from control subjects. The expression of G-coupled protein receptors (GCPR) is monitored in blood platelets and lymphocytes, which are the sites of action of the antipsychotic drugs currently used to treat the disease. Parallel studies are carried out to investigate polymorphisms in the genes that code for these receptors.

The first results obtained revealed an association between región 3´ of the DRD3 gene and schizophrenia at the haplotype level. The haplotypes are formed by the combination of SNPs rs963468-rs2134655-rs1486012-rs7631540, and occur with variable frequency in the population under study. The risk values suggest that some haplotypes confer risk whereas others indicate protection against schizophrenia.

Changes in the expression of 5-HT2A and D3 receptors in blood cells have also been suggested as possible peripheral biomarkers of schizophrenia.

• GPCRs

• Translational
  research

• Fine-tuning

• New
  techonologies(IT)

• study platelet