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Updated: Aug 10, 2026
Quantifying Synapses: an Immunocytochemistry-based Assay to Quantify Synapse Number
Published on: November 17, 2010
A quantitative study on the expression of synapsin II and N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein in schizophrenic
1Molecular Neurobiology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, 951-8585, Niigata, Japan.
Abstract:
The application of DNA array technology to schizophrenic studies enabled us to assess molecular features of this disease. The expression of synapsin II and N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein (NSF) mRNAs is reported to decrease in the prefrontal cortex of these patients. We attempted to reproduce this result with two distinct approaches. With high quality samples, mRNA and protein levels for synapsin II and NSF were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction and by immunoblotting. Both experiments led to the same conclusion: The expression of these presynaptic markers is not altered significantly in the prefrontal cortex of our schizophrenic samples, compared to that in control subjects. These observations suggest that the neurochemical impairments of synapses reported in schizophrenia are not evident for all presynaptic markers and needs to be re-evaluated at molecular levels.
Insights
This study found no significant changes in synapsin II and N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein (NSF) mRNA or protein levels in the prefrontal cortex of schizophrenia patients. These findings challenge previous reports and suggest a need for re-evaluation of molecular synaptic impairments in schizophrenia.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Schizophrenia is a complex psychiatric disorder with suspected neurochemical underpinnings.
- Previous studies using DNA array technology suggested decreased expression of synapsin II and N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein (NSF) mRNAs in schizophrenic patients' prefrontal cortex.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and reproduce the reported decrease in synapsin II and NSF expression in the prefrontal cortex of individuals with schizophrenia.
- To validate findings using both mRNA and protein level measurements.
Main Methods:
- Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to quantify mRNA levels of synapsin II and NSF.
- Immunoblotting was employed to measure protein levels of synapsin II and NSF.
- High-quality prefrontal cortex samples from schizophrenic patients and control subjects were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Both real-time PCR and immunoblotting experiments showed no significant alteration in synapsin II and NSF mRNA or protein expression in the prefrontal cortex of schizophrenic samples compared to controls.
- The findings contradict previous reports suggesting reduced expression of these presynaptic markers.
Conclusions:
- The molecular impairments of synapses in schizophrenia may not be universally evident across all presynaptic markers.
- Previous findings regarding synapsin II and NSF expression in schizophrenia require re-evaluation at the molecular level.
