Meta-analysis of the brain transcriptomes of multiple genetic mouse models of schizophrenia highlights dysregulation in striatum and thalamus
Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness with high heritability, but its underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We meta-analyzed large-scale brain transcriptomic data from mice harboring individual loss-of-function mutations in seven schizophrenia risk genes (Akap11, Dagla, Gria3, Grin2a, Sp4, Srrm2, Zmym2). While all studied brain regions were affected, the striatum and the thalamus emerged as key brain regions of convergence. Striatum showed downregulation of synapse- and oxidative phosphorylation-related gene sets in all models. In the thalamus, mutants separated into two groups based on transcriptomic phenotype: synapse-related gene sets were upregulated in mutants with only schizophrenia and bipolar association, and were downregulated in mutants that are associated with developmental delay/intellectual disability in addition to schizophrenia. Overall, our meta-analysis reveals convergence and divergence in brain transcriptomic phenotype in these schizophrenia genetic models, supports the involvement of striatal disturbance and synapse dysfunction in schizophrenia, and points to a key role of the thalamus.
Authors
- Morgan Sheng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8703-5366)
- Zohreh Farsi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7274-981X)
- Sean Simmons
- Kira A. Perzel Mandell (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6262-6904)
- Sameer Aryal (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3577-4383)
- Aron H. Lichtman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5601-985X)
- Joshua Z. Levin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0170-3598)
- Ajay Nadig (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9634-2141)
- Kira Brenner (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6638-5300)
- Min Jee Kwon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1706-0806)
- Wei-Chao Huang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0201-0985)
- Lesley D. Schurman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5877-3976)
- Bryan J. Song (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0549-4823)
- Ally Nicolella (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2175-6312)
- Nate Shepard (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8629-3152)
Institutions
- Broad Institute (US)
- Virginia Commonwealth University (US)
- Institute of Cognitive and Brain Sciences (US)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Translational Psychiatry
- Published
- 2025-09-29
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03563-5
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.82
Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute