title: Decreased muscarinic1 receptors in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of subjects with schizophrenia.
abstract: To test the hypothesis that muscarinic receptors are involved in the pathology of schizophrenia, we measured muscarinic(1) (M1R) and muscarinic(4)(M4R) protein and mRNA as well as [(3)H]pirenzepine binding in Brodmann's areas (BA) 9 and 40 obtained postmortem from 20 schizophrenic and 20 age/sex-matched control subjects. There was a significant decrease in [(3)H]pirenzepine binding to BA 9 (mean +/- SEM: 151 +/- 15 vs 195 +/- 10 fmol mg(-1) ETE; P< 0.02), but not BA 40 (143 +/- 13 vs 166 +/- 11 fmol mg(-1) ETE), from subjects with schizophrenia. The level of M1R protein (0.11 +/- 0.007 vs 0.15 +/- 0.008 OD; P < 0.01), but not M4R protein, was decreased in BA9 from schizophrenic subjects with neither receptor protein being altered in BA 40. The level of M1R mRNA was decreased in BA 9 (30 +/- 7.0 vs 79 +/- 14 dpm x 10(3) mg(-1) ETE, P < 0.01) and BA 40 (28 +/- 5.9 vs 99 +/- 14, P < 0.01) with schizophrenia but M4R mRNA was only decreased in BA 40 (48 +/- 6.6 vs 89 +/- 9.9, P < 0.005). These data suggest that the M1R, at least in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, may have a role in the pathology of schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: The Rebecca L Cooper Research Laboratories, The Mental Health Research Institute of Victoria, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. bdean@mhri.edu.au
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dean
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McLeod
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Keriakous
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McKenzie
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scarr
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010890:Pirenzepine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D043643:Receptor, Muscarinic M1; D043588:Receptor, Muscarinic M4; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic / Q000235:genetics*; D012016:Reference Values; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D043643:Receptor, Muscarinic M1; D043588:Receptor, Muscarinic M4; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic; D010890:Pirenzepine