Abnormal expression of cell recognition molecules in schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia is a neuropsychiatric disorder of unknown etiology associated with subtle changes in brain morphology. The cell recognition molecules (CRMs) neural cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM) and L1 are involved in morphoregulatory events and numerous neurodevelopmental processes. We found a selective increase of 105- to 115-kDa N-CAM in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of patients with schizophrenia while other N-CAM isoforms and L1 proteins were not altered. There was also evidence for an abnormality in CRM expression in schizophrenic patients: concentrations of 200-kDa L1 were strongly correlated with expression of N-CAM isoforms and cleaved L1 proteins in controls, whereas these correlations were absent in patients with schizophrenia. The increase of the 105- to 115-kDa N-CAM isoform in the brains of patients with schizophrenia confirms previous cerebrospinal fluid findings. Increased N-CAM in schizophrenia may result from structural brain abnormalities, from glial processing of N-CAM, or from an aberration in the regulation of N-CAM expression.
Vawter
M P
MP
Section on Preclinical Neuroscience, NIMH Neuroscience Center at Saint Elizabeths, Washington, DC 20032, USA.
Cannon-Spoor
H E
HE
Hemperly
J J
JJ
Hyde
T M
TM
VanderPutten
D M
DM
Kleinman
J E
JE
Freed
W J
WJ
D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000378:metabolism; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D012016:Reference Values; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000378:metabolism*; D013405:Suicide
D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules