title: GSK-3 parameters in lymphocytes of schizophrenic patients.
abstract: Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a highly conserved serine/threonine protein kinase that is involved in the signal transduction cascades of multiple cellular processes. GSK-3 has two isoforms, designated alpha and beta. GSK-3beta protein levels and GSK-3 enzyme activity have been reported to be reduced by over 40% in postmortem frontal cortex of schizophrenic patients. GSK-3 is also present in peripheral tissue such as lymphocytes. In this study we aimed to find whether the reduction in brain GSK-3beta measures is reflected in peripheral tissue of schizophrenic patients. Fresh lymphocytes from schizophrenic patients showed no difference in GSK-3 alpha and GSK-3beta mRNA levels, GSK-3beta protein levels, or total GSK-3 (alpha+beta) enzyme activity compared with findings in control subjects. In addition, lymphocyte-derived cell lines from schizophrenic patients did not differ in their GSK-3beta protein levels from levels in normal control subjects. The results rule out the use of lymphocyte GSK-3 as a marker for central GSK-3 abnormalities in schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Stanley Foundation Research Center, Faculty of Health Science, and Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Carmit
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nadri
authors.forename: Nitsan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kozlovsky
authors.forename: Galila
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Agam
authors.forename: Yuly
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bersudsky
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002460:Cell Line; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000473:pathology; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics*; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000201:enzymology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D009928:Organ Specificity; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C000605506:GSK3B protein, human; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3; C448021:glycogen synthase kinase 3 alpha