title: SNAP-25 reduction in the hippocampus of patients with schizophrenia.
abstract: In this study, the authors sought to replicate the findings of reduced synaptosomal associated protein 25 kDa (SNAP-25) immunoreactivity in the hippocampus of patients with schizophrenia. The authors also measured N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor 1 (NR1) receptor subunit to determine if glutamatergic synapses were involved with the loss of SNAP-25. We found 49% less SNAP-25 immunointensity in the schizophrenic group (n=7) compared to the control (n=8) or bipolar groups (n=4) (P=.004). There was no change in NMDA NR1 levels in the three groups. The authors confirm the previous report of less SNAP-25 immunoreactivity in the hippocampus using a different cohort of patients with schizophrenia. It also appears that NMDA NR1 was unchanged, indicating that the overall level of NMDA glutamatergic synapses in hippocampus is normal. These data add to evidence suggesting that in schizophrenia the molecular pathology of the hippocampus involves presynaptic components.
authors.affiliation: Mood and Anxiety Disorders Division, Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, Mail Code 7792, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA. Thompsonp@uthscsa.edu
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Shirley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Egbufoama
authors.forename: Marquis P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Vawter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D050825:Synaptosomal-Associated Protein 25
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; C409466:NR1 NMDA receptor; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; C494208:SNAP25 protein, human; D050825:Synaptosomal-Associated Protein 25