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The α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in schizophrenia: decreased mRNA levels in peripheral blood lymphocytes
Author(s) -
Perl Orly,
Ilani Tal,
Strous Rael D.,
Lapidus Raya,
Fuchs Sara
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fj.03-0104fje
Subject(s) - nicotinic agonist , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , acetylcholine receptor , peripheral , medicine , immunology , pathophysiology , receptor , messenger rna , pharmacology , biology , gene , psychiatry , biochemistry
Recent studies have suggested that the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7 AChR) may play a role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. In search for peripheral biological markers for schizophrenia we have investigated α7 mRNA levels in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) of schizophrenic patients and healthy controls. Peripheral blood samples were collected from medicated and non‐medicated (drug naive) schizophrenic patients as well as from healthy (non‐mentally ill) smokers and non‐smokers. RNA was prepared from isolated lymphocytes. Polymerase chain reaction products specific for human α7 AChR were quantified by densitometry using Scion image‐analysis (shared NIH software). We observed a significant decrease of α7 mRNA levels on PBLs of schizophrenic patients compared with controls. The decrease in α7 mRNA levels was not a result of medication management, because non‐medicated schizophrenic patients displayed the same level of reduction in α7 mRNA as did patients receiving medication. In addition, we exclude the possibility that the observed decrease in α7 mRNA levels resulted from nicotine consumption in smoking, because healthy smokers exhibited the same levels of α7 mRNA as non‐smokers. We propose that α7 AChR may be involved in the pathophysiology of the disease and may serve as a reliable peripheral biological marker in schizophrenia.