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Protein Kinase Expression of the AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathway in Peripheral Mononuclear Cells of Schizophrenia

Anastasiia S Boiko1, Ekaterina V Mikhalitskaya1, Elena G Kornetova1

  • 1Mental Health Research Institute, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Aleutskaya Str., 4, 634014 Tomsk, Russia.

Neurosci
|November 24, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Dysfunctional AKT/mTOR signaling, particularly increased AKT1 and p70S6K expression, is linked to schizophrenia pathogenesis. This suggests signaling pathways as potential targets for treating this mental disorder.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Molecular Biology
  • Psychiatry

Background:

  • Schizophrenia pathogenesis requires further investigation into molecular signaling pathways.
  • The AKT/mTOR signaling cascade's role in mental disorders is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the expression of the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in peripheral mononuclear cells (PMCs) of schizophrenia patients.
  • To correlate kinase expression with clinical characteristics of schizophrenia.

Main Methods:

  • Multiplex analysis was used to determine the expression of AKT1, mTOR, p70S6K, GSK3-α, and GSK3-β in PMCs.
  • Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS with a significance level of 0.05.
  • The study included 58 schizophrenia patients (F20) and 60 healthy controls.

Main Results:

  • Significantly increased expression of AKT1 (p=0.006) and p70S6K (p=0.001) was observed in the PMCs of schizophrenia patients.
  • Elevated GSK3-α (p=0.019) and GSK3-β (p=0.018) expression was found in patients with schizophrenia duration exceeding 5 years.

Conclusions:

  • The AKT/mTOR signaling cascade appears to play a significant role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.
  • These signaling pathways may serve as crucial targets for novel pharmacotherapy, prognosis, and diagnostic approaches in mental disorders.
Keywords:
cell signalingprotein kinases expressionschizophrenia

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