Increased levels of SNAP-25 and synaptophysin in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in bipolar I disorder

• Published in: Bipolar disorders Vol. 8; no. 2; pp. 133 - 143
• Main Authors: Scarr, E, Gray, L, Keriakous, D, Robinson, PJ, Dean, B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.04.2006
• Subjects: alpha-Synuclein - immunology; alpha-Synuclein - metabolism; Antibodies; Bipolar Disorder - immunology; Bipolar Disorder - metabolism; Cell Adhesion Molecules - immunology; Cell Adhesion Molecules - metabolism; Cell Culture Techniques; Dynamin I - immunology; Dynamin I - metabolism; Female; human; Humans; Male; mental disorders; Middle Aged; Polymerase Chain Reaction; postmortem; Prefrontal Cortex - anatomy & histology; Prefrontal Cortex - metabolism; Prefrontal Cortex - pathology; Qa-SNARE Proteins - immunology; Qa-SNARE Proteins - metabolism; R-SNARE Proteins - immunology; R-SNARE Proteins - metabolism; RNA, Messenger - immunology; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Schizophrenia - immunology; Schizophrenia - metabolism; synaptophysin; Synaptophysin - metabolism; Synaptosomal-Associated Protein 25 - metabolism; synaptosomal-associated protein-25
• ISSN: 1398-5647; 1399-5618
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-5618.2006.00300.x

Objective:  In order to identify whether the mechanisms associated with neurotransmitter release are involved in the pathologies of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, levels of presynaptic [synaptosomal‐associated protein‐25 (SNAP‐25), syntaxin, synaptophysin, vesicle‐associated membrane protein, dynamin I] and structural (neuronal cell adhesion molecule and alpha‐synuclein) neuronal markers were measured in Brodmann's area 9 obtained postmortem from eight subjects with bipolar I disorder (BPDI), 20 with schizophrenia and 20 controls. Methods:  Determinations of protein levels were carried out using Western blot techniques with specific antibodies. Levels of mRNA were measured using real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Results:  In BPDI, levels of SNAP‐25 (p < 0.01) and synaptophysin (p < 0.05) increased. There were no changes in schizophrenia or any other changes in BPDI. Levels of mRNA for SNAP‐25 were decreased in BPDI (p < 0.05). Conclusion:  Changes in SNAP‐25 and synaptophysin in BPDI suggest that changes in specific neuronal functions could be linked to the pathology of the disorder.