Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci.  2023 Feb;21(1):171-178. 10.9758/cpn.2023.21.1.171.

Evaluation Expression of the Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 Apoptotic Genes in Schizophrenia Patients

• Dirican E
• Özcan H
• Uzunçakmak SK
• Takım U

• KMID: 2539661
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.9758/cpn.2023.21.1.171

Abstract

Objective
Apoptosis is programmed cell death that occurs by several pathways. Caspase-3 is induced by active caspase-9 via the intrinsic pathway. The aim of this research was to explore the expression of caspase-3 and caspase-9 in schizophrenia patients and healthy samples.
Methods
RNA was isolated from the peripheral blood of 39 schizophrenia patients’ and healthy samples. After cDNA synthesis, real time PCR (RT-PCR) was used to analyse caspase-3 and caspase-9 gene expression. The severity of psychopathological symptoms of schizophrenia was evaluated using the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale for schizophrenia (PANSS) and Clinical Global Impressions (CGI).
Results
The expression of caspase-3 and caspase-9 genes was higher in schizophrenia patients than in healthy samples (p = 0.012, p = 0.002, respectively). The increase in caspase-3 gene expression was significant with being male, smoking and with a duration of less than 6 years (p = 0.047, p = 0.049, p = 0.034, respectively). On the other hand, the increase in caspase-9 gene expression was significant in patients who is smoke, have children, and are under 33 years old (p = 0.040, p = 0.043, p = 0.045, respectively). A significant positive correlation was detected between the caspase-3 and caspase-9 gene expression (r = 0.3218, p = 0.049).
Conclusion
Our findings indicate that caspase-3 and caspase-9 gene expression may activate cell death mechanisms by intrinsic apoptotic genes. Furthermore, caspase-3 and caspase-9 may play essential roles in different ways in schizophrenia. Hence there is a need to further study the apoptotic mechanism with expanded patient populations.

Keyword

Schizophrenia; Apoptosis; Caspase-3; Caspase-9; Real time PCR; Intrinsic pathway