Dysregulated Glial Differentiation in Schizophrenia May Be Relieved by Suppression of SMAD4- and REST-Dependent Signaling (Cell Reports)

Astrocytic differentiation is impaired in childhood-onset schizophrenia (SCZ). Liu et al. report that SMAD4-dependent BMP signaling and REST are upregulated in hiPSC-derived SCZ glia and that SMAD4 and REST knockdown rescue both astroglial differentiation and K+ transport. SCZ astrocytic maturation may thus be rescued by targeting SMAD4- and REST-dependent transcription.