title: Phospholipase C beta 1 expression in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex from patients with schizophrenia at different stages of illness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our recent microarray study detected decreases in the expression of phospholipase C beta 1 mRNA in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex from subjects with schizophrenia at different stages of illness. Thus we aimed to validate and extend these findings.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured levels of mRNA and protein for phospholipase C beta 1 variant a and b using real-time PCR and western blot analysis, respectively, in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex from subjects with schizophrenia, who had a short (< 7 years) or long (> 22 years) duration of illness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to age/sex matched controls, levels of phospholipase C beta 1 variant a and b mRNAs were decreased (-33% and -50%, respectively) in short duration schizophrenia. By contrast, only variant a mRNA was decreased (-24%) in long duration schizophrenia. There was no significant difference in the protein levels of either phospholipase C beta 1 variant in schizophrenia, irrespective of duration of illness (variant a; P = 0.84, variant b; P = 0.73).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data confirm that phospholipase C beta 1 transcript levels are decreased in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex from subjects with schizophrenia. However, the changes in levels of mRNA do not translate into a change at the level of protein. It is possible protein expression is regulated independently of mRNA and it remains to be determined whether there is a functional consequence of this change in mRNA relating to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Rebecca L. Cooper Research Laboratories, Mental Health Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. m.udawela@mhri.edu.au
authors.forename: Madhara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Udawela
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scarr
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hannan
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dean
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D021984:Cyclophilin A / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054799:Phospholipase C beta / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000201:enzymology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D007527:Isoenzymes; C518033:PLCB1 protein, human; D054799:Phospholipase C beta; D021984:Cyclophilin A