Expression of GSK3β, PICK1, NEFL, C4, NKCC1 and Synaptophysin in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the first-episode schizophrenia patients

Tingting Zhang; Yamei Tang; Xiudeng Yang; Xuyi Wang; Shan Ding; Kai Huang; Yong Liu; Bing Lang

doi:10.1016/j.ajp.2020.102520

Expression of GSK3β, PICK1, NEFL, C4, NKCC1 and Synaptophysin in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the first-episode schizophrenia patients

Asian J Psychiatr. 2021 Jan:55:102520. doi: 10.1016/j.ajp.2020.102520. Epub 2020 Dec 26.

Authors

Tingting Zhang¹, Yamei Tang¹, Xiudeng Yang², Xuyi Wang³, Shan Ding³, Kai Huang³, Yong Liu⁴, Bing Lang⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China.
² Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affifiliated Hospital of Shaoyang University, Shaoyang, Hunan, 422001, China.
³ National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Department of Psychaitry, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha 410011, Hunan, China.
⁴ National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Department of Psychaitry, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha 410011, Hunan, China. Electronic address: csuliuyongpp@csu.edu.cn.
⁵ National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Department of Psychaitry, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha 410011, Hunan, China. Electronic address: bing.lang@csu.edu.cn.

PMID: 33373836
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2020.102520

Abstract

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a severe neurodevelopmental disease with unknown pathogenic mechanisms characterized with impaired cognitive function. The disturbed synaptic plasticity and synaptic loss have been widely reported in SZ. In this study, 41 first-episode schizophrenia (FES) patients and 44 healthy controls (HC) were recruited and the expression of six genes commonly relevant to synaptic functions was examined in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). These genes were glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), protein interacting with C-kinase 1 (PICK1), synaptophysin (SYP), neurofilament light (NEFL), complement component 4 (C4) and Na⁺-K^--2Cl^- cotransporter 1 (NKCC1). Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was performed to determine the quantity of individual mRNA template. Compared to HC, the expression of PICK1 and NKCC1 genes in FES patients was relatively lower whereas the expression of NEFL was higher. No difference for the mRNA expression of GSK3β, SYP and C4 genes was detected between FES patients and HC, nor was the gender difference; Interestingly, the mRNA expression of PICK1 in female FES patients was significantly decreased compared to female HC, but not in males; and the NEFL gene was up-regulated in male FES patients but not in females. Our findings support an abnormal expression profile of synapse-related genes in the PBMCs of FES patients.

Keywords: First-episode schizophrenia; GSK3β; NEFL; PICK1; mRNA.

MeSH terms

Carrier Proteins
Complement C4
Female
Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta / genetics
Humans
Leukocytes, Mononuclear / metabolism
Male
Neurofilament Proteins
Neuronal Plasticity
Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
Schizophrenia* / genetics
Solute Carrier Family 12, Member 2
Synaptophysin / genetics

Substances

Carrier Proteins
Complement C4
Neurofilament Proteins
Nuclear Proteins
PICk1 protein, human
SLC12A2 protein, human
Solute Carrier Family 12, Member 2
Synaptophysin
neurofilament protein L
Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta