No evidence for the presence of neuronal surface autoantibodies in plasma of patients with schizophrenia.
The immune system has been implicated in the etiology of schizophrenia. Autoimmunity by antibodies against neuronal cell surface antigens has been proposed as one of the pathological mechanisms. We examined plasma samples of 104 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia for the presence of autoantibodies against neuronal cell surface antigens using cultured hippocampal neurons and transfected HeLa cells. None of the samples tested positive for the presence of these autoantibodies. Based on our results it seems unlikely that autoantibodies against neuronal cell surface antigens play a role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, although further studies using cerebrospinal fluid are needed.
Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: h.vanmierlo@umcutrecht.nl.
Hans C
HC
van Mierlo
Department of Biology, Division of Cell Biology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
Marleen H
MH
van Coevorden-Hameete
Department of Biology, Division of Cell Biology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
Leon P
LP
Munting
Department of Biology, Division of Cell Biology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
Esther
E
de Graaff
Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Lot
L
de Witte
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000378:metabolism; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D001323:Autoantibodies; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; C104722:glutamate receptor ionotropic, AMPA 2
Antibodies; Autoimmune; Encephalitis; Immunology; Psychosis; Schizophrenia