title: Alpha- and beta-synucleins mRNA expression in lymphocytes of schizophrenia patients.
abstract: Alpha-synuclein is largely, but not entirely, expressed in the central nervous system. A high concentration of alpha-synuclein in presynaptic terminals can mimic the normal function of endogenous alpha-synuclein in regulating synaptic vesicle mobilization at nerve terminals. Beta-synuclein protein is seen primarily in brain tissue and it is suggested that beta-synuclein acts as an inhibitor of alpha-synuclein aggregation, which occurs in neurodegenerative diseases. With respect to the role of synucleins in neurologic diseases such as Parkinson's disease, we decided to study the changes of alpha- and beta-synucleins in schizophrenia patients in relation to a control group. For this purpose, total RNA was extracted from the lymphocytes of patients and controls and then cDNA was synthesized and used for real-time polymerase chain reaction. Calculation of the relative expression of alpha- and beta-synucleins showed downregulation in patients in comparison to the control group. Independent two-tailed t-test showed that beta-synuclein mRNA expression in the control group was significantly higher than that in the patient group (p < 0.01), but downregulation of alpha-synuclein gene was not significant. Therefore, a significant downregulation of beta-synuclein mRNA expression appears to be a suitable biomarker for the diagnosis of schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. nooridaloii@sina.tums.ac.ir
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Noori-Daloii
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kheirollahi
authors.forename: Parinaz
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mahbod
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
authors.forename: Ali Nazeri
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Astaneh
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Zarindast
authors.forename: Cyrus
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Azimi
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051844:alpha-Synuclein / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D051846:beta-Synuclein / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051844:alpha-Synuclein; D051846:beta-Synuclein