Monoamine oxidase a gene methylation and its role in posttraumatic stress disorder : : first evidence from the South Eastern Europe (SEE)-PTSD study

Abstract: Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder is characterized by an overactive noradrenergic system conferring core posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms such as hyperarousal and reexperiencing. Monoamine oxidase A is one of the key enzymes mediating the turnover of noradrenaline. Here, DNA methylation of the monoamine oxidase A gene exonI/intronI region was investigated for the first time regarding its role in posttraumatic stress disorder risk and severity.Methods: Monoamine oxidase A methylation was analyzed via direct sequencing of sodium bisulfite-treated DNA extracted from blood cells in a total sample of N = 652 ( 441 male) patients with current posttraumatic stress disorder, patients with remitted posttraumatic stress disorder, and healthy probands (comparison group) recruited at 5 centers in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, and the Republic of Kosovo. Posttraumatic stress disorder severity was measured by means of the Clinician-Administered Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Scale and its respective subscores representing distinct symptom clusters.Results: In the male, but not the female sample, patients with current posttraumatic stress disorder displayed hypermethylation of 3 CpGs (CpG3 = 43 656 362; CpG12 = 43 656 514; CpG13 = 43 656 553, GRCh38.p2 Assembly) as compared with remitted Posttraumatic Stress Disorder patients and healthy probands. Symptom severity (Clinician-Administered Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Scale scores) in male patients with current posttraumatic stress disorder significantly correlated with monoamine oxidase A methylation. This applied particularly to symptom clusters related to reexperiencing of trauma (cluster B) and hyperarousal (cluster D).Conclusions: The present findings suggest monoamine oxidase A gene hypermethylation, potentially resulting in enhanced noradrenergic signalling, as a disease status and severity marker of current posttraumatic stress disorder in males. If replicated, monoamine oxidase A hypermethylation might serve as a surrogate marker of a hyperadrenergic subtype of posttraumatic stress disorder guiding personalized treatment decisions on the use of antiadrenergic agents

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch
• Notes: The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology. - 21, 5 (2018) , 423–432, ISSN: 1469-5111

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (where): Freiburg
• (who): Universität
• (when): 2021
• Creator: Ziegler, Christiane ; Schiele, Miriam A. ; Domschke, Katharina

Further information

• DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyx111
• URN: urn:nbn:de:bsz:25-freidok-1751060
• Rights: Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 25.03.2025, 1:50 PM CET