title: Investigation of the expression of genes affecting cytomatrix active zone function in the amygdala in schizophrenia: effects of antipsychotic drugs.
abstract: The cytomatrix active zone (CAZ) is a specialized cellular structure regulating release of vesicles. We reported previously increased expression of three CAZ genes, piccolo, RIMS2 and RIMS3 in the amygdala in schizophrenia. This study determined the levels of gene and protein expression for components of the active zone including two additional CAZ genes in the amygdala from subjects with schizophrenia and non-psychiatric controls, as well as the effects of antipsychotic drugs. Whilst relative real-time PCR analysis did not identify significant change in the expression of six additional active zone genes, Western blot analysis showed increased piccolo and RIMS2 protein expression in the amygdala in schizophrenia. In vitro analysis suggests antipsychotic drug treatment was unlikely to have caused the changes in RIMS2, RIMS3 and piccolo expression observed in the amygdala in schizophrenia. Therefore, this study provides further evidence suggesting that piccolo, RIMS2, RIMS3, but not the entire components of the active zone are involved in the neurobiology of schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weidenhofer
authors.forename: Rodney J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Tooney
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000679:Amygdala / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015153:Blotting, Western; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; C498630:PCLO protein, human; C491492:RIMS1 protein, human; C485850:RIMS3 protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins