Increased cerebrospinal fluid and serum levels of S100B in first-onset schizophrenia are not related to a degenerative release of glial fibrillar acidic protein, myelin basic protein and neurone-specific enolase from glia or neurones.
OBJECTIVE
To assess levels of glial fibrillar acidic protein (GFAP), myelin basic protein (MBP), neurone-specific enolase (NSE) and S100B in patients with first-onset schizophrenia.


METHODS
We investigated CSF and serum samples from 12 patients with first-onset schizophrenia and from 17 control subjects by ELISA (GFAP, MBP) or immunoluminometric sandwich assays (NSE, S100B).


RESULTS
Patients with schizophrenia had significantly higher levels of S100B in CSF (p = 0.004; 2.73 (SD 0.80) v 1.92 (0.58) microg/l) and serum (p = 0.032; 0.09 (0.03) v 0.08 (0.02) microg/l) in comparison with those in the matched control group. No diagnosis-dependent differences of protein concentration were seen for GFAP, MBP and NSE.


CONCLUSIONS
Our finding of increased levels of S100B in patients with schizophrenia without an indication for significant glial (GFAP, MBP) or neuronal (NSE) damage may be interpreted as indirect evidence for increased active secretion of S100B during acute psychosis.
Steiner
J
J
Department of Psychiatry, University of Magdeburg, Leipziger Strasse 44, D-39120 Magdeburg, Germany. johann.steiner@medizin.uni-magdeburg.de
Bielau
H
H
Bernstein
H-G
HG
Bogerts
B
B
Wunderlich
M T
MT
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology*
D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins; C579160:S100B protein, human; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase