Decreased serum levels of SETD1A protein in patients with schizophrenia

Objective SET domain-containing protein 1A (SETD1A) histone lysine N-methyltransferase may serve as a biomarker for the auxiliary diagnosis and treatment assessment of schizophrenia (SCZ). The aim of this study was to compare serum levels of SETD1A protein between patients with SCZ and health controls. Methods Patients with SCZ and health controls were recruited from the Sixth Hospital of Changchun and the ’Survey on Chronic Diseases and Risk Factors among Adults in Jilin Province’, respectively. The quantifications of lysine N-methyltransferase in peripheral serum were conducted by the ELISA method, and data was analyzed using the R software. Results Forty patients with SCZ (mean age: 33.97 ± 5.99 years) and forty healthy controls (mean age: 39.07 ± 4.62 years) were included. There was significant lower concentration of SETD1A protein in the SCZ group compared with the control group (P < 0.001). This significant difference still exists after stratification by sex (P < 0.05). Conclusion Our study demonstrates that decreased levels of serum SETD1A protein may be utilized as a possible peripheral biomarker for schizophrenia.