Expression of neuronal calcium sensor-1 (NCS-1) is decreased in leukocytes of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder patients

• Published in: Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry Vol. 33; no. 2; pp. 229 - 234
• Main Authors: Torres, K.C.L., Souza, B.R., Miranda, D.M., Sampaio, A.M., Nicolato, R., Neves, F.S., Barros, A.G.A., Dutra, W.O., Gollob, K.J., Correa, H., Romano-Silva, M.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 17-03-2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Aged; Antigens, CD19 - metabolism; B-Lymphocytes - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers; Bipolar disorder; Bipolar Disorder - metabolism; Bipolar disorders; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - metabolism; CD56 Antigen - metabolism; Dopamine; Female; Flow Cytometry; Humans; Killer Cells, Natural - metabolism; Leukocytes; Leukocytes - metabolism; Lipopolysaccharide Receptors - metabolism; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Monocytes - metabolism; Mood disorders; NCS-1; Neuronal Calcium-Sensor Proteins - metabolism; Neuropeptides - metabolism; Neuropharmacology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychoses; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenia - metabolism; CD; Flow cytometry; Dopamine; NCS-1; Schizophrenia; CNS; DARPP-32; Bipolar disorder; IS; SCZ; Leukocytes; PFC; PBMC; FITC; PE; BPD; NK; Human; Mood disorder; Calcium; Leukocyte; Etiopathogenesis; Exploration; Catecholamine; Inorganic element; Psychosis; Immunology; Neurotransmitter; Adult; Neurotransmission
• ISSN: 0278-5846; 1878-4216
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2008.11.011

Schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BPD) are severe illnesses representing an enormous social, familiar and individual burden that affect 1% of the population world-wide. Several evidences indicate abnormalities of the dopamine system in both SCZ and BPD. Neuronal calcium sensor-1 (NCS-1) is a protein that has many functions in neurotransmission such as inhibition of dopamine D
2 receptor desensitization, regulation of ionic channels and enhancement of exocytosis of neurotransmitters. In addition, NCS-1 protein expression and mRNA levels were found increased in pre-frontal cortex (PFC) of SCZ and BPD patients. NCS-1 expression in neural and neuroendocrine cells is well documented and, recently, it was shown that NCS-1 is also expressed in mast cells and neutrophils. NCS-1 has important functions in mast cells since it stimulates Fc epsilon RI-triggered exocytosis and the release of arachidonic acid metabolites. Then, due to the known close relation between the nervous and immune systems, we sought to investigate the NCS-1 expression in lymphocytes and monocytes (CD4+ T lymphocytes, CD56+ NK cells, CD19+ B lymphocytes and CD14+ monocytes) of SCZ and BPD patients. Using flow cytometry, our results have shown that NCS-1 expression was diminished in CD4+T lymphocytes, CD19+ B lymphocytes and CD14+ monocytes of BPD patients and also decreased in CD4+ T lymphocytes and CD56+ NK cells of SCZ patients. Results suggest that immune cells might be a cellular model for studies with SCZ and BPD patients considering NCS-1 functions. Efforts need to be done to investigate the motive of the decreased percentage of immune cells expressing NCS-1 in patients with SCZ and BPD.