Sapienza Jacopo, Agostoni Giulia, Repaci Federica, Spangaro Marco, Comai Stefano, Bosia Marta
Schizophrenia Research and Clinical Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20127 Milan, Italy.
Department of Humanities and Life Sciences, University School for Advanced Studies IUSS, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
Metabolites. 2025 Mar 5;15(3):176. doi: 10.3390/metabo15030176.
The biology of schizophrenia is highly complex and multifaceted. Numerous efforts have been made over the years to disentangle the heterogeneity of the disease, gradually leading to a more detailed understanding of its underlying pathogenic mechanisms. Two cardinal elements in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia are neuroinflammation and alterations of neurotransmission. The kynurenine (KYN) pathway (KP) is of particular importance because it is inducted by systemic low-grade inflammation in peripheral tissues, producing metabolites that are neuroactive (i.e., modulating glutamatergic and cholinergic neurotransmission), neuroprotective, or neurotoxic. Consequently, the KP is at the crossroads between two primary systems involved in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. It bridges the central nervous system (CNS) and the periphery, as KP metabolites can cross the blood-brain barrier and modulate neuronal activity. Metabolic syndrome plays a crucial role in this context, as it frequently co-occurs with schizophrenia, contributing to a sub-inflammatory state able to activate the KP. This narrative review provides valuable insights into these complex interactions, offering a framework for developing targeted therapeutic interventions or precision psychiatry approaches of the disorder.
精神分裂症的生物学机制高度复杂且多方面。多年来人们付出了诸多努力来厘清该疾病的异质性,逐渐对其潜在致病机制有了更详细的了解。精神分裂症病理生理学中的两个主要因素是神经炎症和神经传递改变。犬尿氨酸(KYN)途径(KP)尤为重要,因为它在外周组织中由全身性轻度炎症诱导产生,生成具有神经活性(即调节谷氨酸能和胆碱能神经传递)、神经保护或神经毒性的代谢产物。因此,KP处于精神分裂症发病机制所涉及的两个主要系统的交叉点。它连接中枢神经系统(CNS)和外周,因为KP代谢产物能够穿过血脑屏障并调节神经元活动。在这种情况下,代谢综合征起着关键作用,因为它经常与精神分裂症同时出现,导致能够激活KP的亚炎症状态。这篇叙述性综述为这些复杂的相互作用提供了有价值的见解,为开发针对该疾病的靶向治疗干预措施或精准精神病学方法提供了一个框架。