Altered brain arginine metabolism in schizophrenia

Abstract

Previous research implicates altered metabolism ofL-arginine, a versatile amino acid with a number of bioactive metabolites, in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. The present study, for we believe the first time, systematically compared the metabolic profile ofL-arginine in the frontal cortex (Brodmann’s area 8) obtained post-mortem from schizophrenic individuals and age-and gender-matched non-psychiatric controls (n = 20 per group). The enzyme assays revealed no change in total nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity, but significantly increased arginase activity in the schizophrenia group. Western blot showed reduced endothelial NOS protein expression and increased arginase II protein level i..