Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
J Neural Transm (Vienna). 2017 Oct;124(10):1261-1273. doi: 10.1007/s00702-017-1776-x. Epub 2017 Aug 16.
In recent years, there was growing interest in postsynaptic density proteins in the central nervous system. Of the most important candidates of this specialized region are proteins belonging to the Homer protein family. This family of scaffolding proteins is suspected to participate in the pathogenesis of a variety of diseases. The present study aims to compare Homer1a expression in the hippocampus and cingulate gyrus of patients with major psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression. Immunohistochemistry was used to analyze changes of Homer1a protein expression in the hippocampal formation and the cingulate gyrus from the respective disease groups. Glial cells of the cingulate gyrus gray matter showed decreased Homer1a levels in bipolar disorder when compared to controls. The same results were seen when comparing cingulate gyrus gray matter glial cells in bipolar disorder with major depression. Stratum oriens glial cells of the hippocampus showed decreased Homer1a levels in bipolar disorder when compared to controls and major depression. Stratum lacunosum glial cells showed decreased Homer1a levels in bipolar disorder when compared to major depression. In stratum oriens interneurons Homer1a levels were increased in all disease groups when compared to controls. Stratum lucidum axons showed decreased Homer1a levels in bipolar disorder when compared to controls. Our data demonstrate altered Homer1a levels in specific brain regions and cell types of patients suffering from schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression. These findings support the role of Homer proteins as interesting candidates in neuropsychiatric pathophysiology and treatment.
近年来，人们对中枢神经系统中突触后密度蛋白越来越感兴趣。在这个专门区域中，最重要的候选蛋白之一是属于 Homer 蛋白家族的蛋白。这种支架蛋白家族被怀疑参与了多种疾病的发病机制。本研究旨在比较精神分裂症、双相情感障碍和重度抑郁症等主要精神疾病患者海马体和扣带回皮质中 Homer1a 的表达。免疫组织化学用于分析来自各自疾病组的海马结构和扣带回皮质中 Homer1a 蛋白表达的变化。与对照组相比，双相情感障碍患者扣带回皮质灰质中的神经胶质细胞 Homer1a 水平降低。当将双相情感障碍与重度抑郁症的扣带回皮质灰质神经胶质细胞进行比较时，也得到了相同的结果。与对照组和重度抑郁症相比，海马体的齿状回神经胶质细胞 Homer1a 水平降低。与重度抑郁症相比，双相情感障碍患者的齿状回腔隙神经胶质细胞 Homer1a 水平降低。与对照组相比，所有疾病组的海马体中间神经元 Homer1a 水平均升高。与对照组相比，双相情感障碍患者的透明层轴突 Homer1a 水平降低。我们的数据表明，患有精神分裂症、双相情感障碍和重度抑郁症的患者的特定脑区和细胞类型中 Homer1a 水平发生改变。这些发现支持 Homer 蛋白作为神经精神病理生理学和治疗中有趣的候选物的作用。
