Peripheral Blood Biomarkers Reveal Dysregulated Monoaminergic Pathways in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Transcriptional and Epigenetic Analysis.

ABSTRACT: This study investigated the complexity of neurotransmitter-related gene regulation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), aiming to identify clinically relevant molecular markers. We analyzed three key genes: SLC6A4 (serotonin transporter), MAOB (monoamine oxidase B, a dopamine-degrading enzyme), and COMT (catechol-O-methyltransferase, a dopamine/norepinephrine metabolizing enzyme). OCD patients exhibited significant downregulation of SLC6A4 and MAOB, accompanied by upregulation of MB-COMT. The contrasting expression of MAOB and MB-COMT suggests a dysregulated compensatory mechanism in dopamine homeostasis, which contributes to clinical heterogeneity and variability in treat

SUBMITTER: Bellia F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12469943 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature