title: Elevated concentration of N-CAM VASE isoforms in schizophrenia.
abstract: Neural cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM) is a cell recognition molecule, four major isoforms (180, 140, 120, and 105-115 kDa) of which are present in brain. N-CAM has several roles in cellular organization and CNS development. Previously we have found an elevation in CSF N-CAM 120 kDa in the CSF of patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. We now report an increase in the variable alternative spliced exon (VASE), a 10 amino acid sequence inserted into the fourth N-CAM domain, in the CSF of patients with schizophrenia, but not in bipolar disorder or depression. VASE-immunoreactive (VASE-ir) bands were measured in CSF from patients with schizophrenia (n = 14), bipolar disorder I (n = 7), bipolar disorder II (n = 9), unipolar depression (n = 17) and matched controls (n = 37) by Western immunoblotting. Three VASE-ir bands were distinguished in lumbar CSF corresponding to heavy (165 kDa), medium (155 kDa) and low (140 kDa) MW. A logarithmic transformation was applied to the VASE protein units and analyzed with a MANOVA. There was a 51% and 45% increase in VASE heavy (p = 0.0008) and medium (p = 0.04) MW protein, respectively, in patients with schizophrenia as compared with normal controls. Current neuroleptic treatment in patients with schizophrenia had no effect on CSF VASE concentrations. VASE concentration correlated significantly with behavioral ratings in patients with schizophrenia but not affective disorders. Thus, VASE immunoreactivity is increased in schizophrenia but not in affective disorders. These results provide further evidence of an abnormality of N-CAM protein in chronic schizophrenia and suggest differences between schizophrenia and affective disorders in regulation of N-CAM.
authors.affiliation: Cellular Neurobiology Branch, NIDA-IRP, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA. vawterm@dirpc.nimh.nih.gov
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Vawter
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Frye
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Hemperly
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: VanderPutten
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Usen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Doherty
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Saffell
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Issa
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Post
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Wyatt
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Freed
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing / Q000235:genetics; D000918:Antibody Specificity / Q000235:genetics; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera; D007162:Immunoproteins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000235:genetics; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000235:genetics; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D007106:Immune Sera; D007162:Immunoproteins; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins