TY - JOUR
T1 - Evidence for decreased DARPP-32 in the prefrontal cortex of patients with schizophrenia
AU - Albert, Katherine A.
AU - Hemmings, Hugh C.
AU - Adamo, Anna I.B.
AU - Potkin, Steven G.
AU - Akbarian, Schahram
AU - Sandman, Curt A.
AU - Cotman, Carl W.
AU - Bunney, William E.
AU - Greengard, Paul
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - Background: The neurotransmitters dopamine and glutamate have been implicated in the prefrontal dysfunction associated with schizophrenic illness. Studies suggest that the D1 subclass of dopamine receptor and the N-methyl-D-aspartate subclass of glutamate receptor are involved in this prefrontal dysfunction. These 2 receptors regulate, in opposing directions, the amount of phosphorylated activated DARPP-32, a potent inhibitor of protein phosphatase 1 that modulates the activity of several classes of receptors and ion channels. Thus, DARPP-32 occupies a key regulatory position, and may play an important role in the pathophysiological changes in dopamine and glutamate function reported in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: The amounts of DARPP-32, synapsin I, and the α subunit of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II were measured by immunoblotting in postmortem samples from 14 schizophrenic subjects and their age-, gender-, and autolysis time-matched control subjects. Possible confounding influences of neuroleptic treatment were analyzed by comparing subjects with Alzheimer disease who were and were not treated with neuroleptic agents. Results: DARPP-32 was significantly reduced in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in more schizophrenic subjects relative to matched controls. The ratios of 2 other synaptic phosphoproteins, synapsin I and the α subunit of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, did not differ between schizophrenic and control subjects, nor between subjects with Alzheimer disease who were and were not treated with neuroleptic agents. Conclusions: Our findings are consistent with a selective reduction in DARPP-32 levels in schizophrenic subjects. This may be involved in the prefrontal dysfunction associated with schizophrenia.
AB - Background: The neurotransmitters dopamine and glutamate have been implicated in the prefrontal dysfunction associated with schizophrenic illness. Studies suggest that the D1 subclass of dopamine receptor and the N-methyl-D-aspartate subclass of glutamate receptor are involved in this prefrontal dysfunction. These 2 receptors regulate, in opposing directions, the amount of phosphorylated activated DARPP-32, a potent inhibitor of protein phosphatase 1 that modulates the activity of several classes of receptors and ion channels. Thus, DARPP-32 occupies a key regulatory position, and may play an important role in the pathophysiological changes in dopamine and glutamate function reported in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: The amounts of DARPP-32, synapsin I, and the α subunit of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II were measured by immunoblotting in postmortem samples from 14 schizophrenic subjects and their age-, gender-, and autolysis time-matched control subjects. Possible confounding influences of neuroleptic treatment were analyzed by comparing subjects with Alzheimer disease who were and were not treated with neuroleptic agents. Results: DARPP-32 was significantly reduced in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in more schizophrenic subjects relative to matched controls. The ratios of 2 other synaptic phosphoproteins, synapsin I and the α subunit of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, did not differ between schizophrenic and control subjects, nor between subjects with Alzheimer disease who were and were not treated with neuroleptic agents. Conclusions: Our findings are consistent with a selective reduction in DARPP-32 levels in schizophrenic subjects. This may be involved in the prefrontal dysfunction associated with schizophrenia.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0036327663&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1001/archpsyc.59.8.705
DO - 10.1001/archpsyc.59.8.705
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0036327663
SN - 0003-990X
VL - 59
SP - 705
EP - 712
JO - Archives of General Psychiatry
JF - Archives of General Psychiatry
IS - 8
ER -