title: Complement factors in newly diagnosed Nigerian schizoprenic patients and those on antipsychotic therapy.
abstract: The role of Complement factors in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders is enormous, but the data on levels and functions of complement factors in patients with schizophrenia are scanty and conflicting. To address this issue, levels of Complement regulators (C1 inhibitor and C3 activator) and complement factors (C1q, C3c, C4 and C5) were determined in the serum of newly diagnosed drug free schizophrenic patients, schizophrenic patients on medication and healthy subjects using immune-plates. C1q was significantly reduced in newly diagnosed schizophrenic patients or schizophrenic patients on medication compared with the controls. C3c was significantly reduced in newly diagnosed schizophrenic patients compared with controls or schizophrenic patients on medication. The levels of C3 activators, C1 inhibitors and C4 were similar in the two groups of schizophrenic patients compared with the controls. It may be concluded from this study that C1q is deficient in schizophrenic patients; and that C3c may differentiate newly diagnosed schizophrenia from schizophrenic patients on medication.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Chemical Pathology and Immunology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State. drarinolaog64@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: O B
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Idonije
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Akinlade
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ihenyen
authors.forename: O G
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Arinola
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D050718:Complement C1 Inhibitor Protein / Q000502:physiology; D015922:Complement C1q / Q000172:deficiency / Q000502:physiology; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000502:physiology; D015932:Complement C3c / Q000172:deficiency / Q000502:physiology; D003181:Complement C4 / Q000502:physiology; D003182:Complement C5 / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D050718:Complement C1 Inhibitor Protein; D003176:Complement C3; D003181:Complement C4; D003182:Complement C5; D015922:Complement C1q; D015932:Complement C3c