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conferenceseries
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Volume 8
Journal of Biotechnology & Biomaterials
ISSN: 2155-952X
Pharma Biotech 2018
December 10-11, 2018
December 10-11, 2018 | Rome, Italy
23
rd
International Conference on
Pharmaceutical Biotechnology
Epitranscriptomic blood biomarkers to manage psychiatric disorders
Dinah Weissmann
ALCEDIAG, France
M
ajor depressive and bipolar disorders are leading causes of disability worldwide yet, many people remain undiagnosed
or misdiagnosed or ineffectively treated. Diagnosis relies on the clinical assessment of symptoms and currently, there
is no molecular diagnostic test available. Identifying and validating blood biomarkers could provide a more accurate and
objective means of diagnosis. Genetic and epigenetic events are involved in psychiatric aetiology, among them RNA editing
modifications have been associated with inflammation and neuropsychiatric disorders. Adenosine to inosine RNA editing
constitutes a physiological cellular process that translates environmental cues by regulating protein function at the synaptic level
in health and disease. RNA editing is post-transcriptional process that leads to functional diversity of proteins. These marks
form the molecular interface between the genome and the environment. Of particular interest is the RNA editing modification
that occurs on the
phosphodiesterase 8A
gene located on chromosome 15q25.3, a genomic region that has recurrently been
associated with early onset of major depressive disorder. ALCEDIAG’s test, EDITDIAG, identifies in blood specific signatures
through the RNA editing modifications of patients in different pathological conditions such as a cohort of hepatitis C infected
patients, treated with interferon alpha and ribavirin were followed during 16 weeks. This treatment is well known to trigger
depression in 50% of patients. RNA editing modifications were measured each two weeks as well as clinical evaluations of
depression (MINI). An algorithm was identified which allows to discriminate patients with depression from others with a high
specificity and sensitivity; a cohort of depressed patients (n=163) was compared to controls (n=69). A specific RNA editing
signature was identified in depressed patients. The test shows that RNA editing related blood biomarkers allow to stratify
patients, characterizes psychiatric conditions and follows up the disease/treatment modifications along time. This test paves
the way for a better management of psychiatric patients.
Figure:
Schematic overview of the link between systemic inflammation and
neuropsychiatric disorders. Blood and brain RNA editing biomarkers have been
identified and characterised in various specimens and pathologies
Dinah Weissmann, J Biotechnol Biomater 2018, Volume 8
DOI: 10.4172/2155-952X-C8-109