Polyamines and polyamine-metabolizing enzymes in schizophrenia: Current knowledge and concepts of therapy

Table 1 Summary of polyamine-related findings in human schizophrenia studies

No significant differences in the distribution of the genotypes of the SAT-1415 T/C SNP between schizophrenia patients and healthy controls[54].

CFG study identified AZIN 1 as a candidate gene for schizophrenia[55].

DNA microarray and in situ hybridization studies show decreased AZIN 1 expression in schizophrenia. No influence of neuroleptic treatment[56].

OAT expression is reduced in samples of schizophrenia individuals[56,57].

No differently expressed genes implicated in PA metabolism in two large schizophrenia cohorts[58].

PAO activity is lower in blood plasma of acute and chronic schizophrenia patients[59-62].

PAO activity increased in blood sera of schizophrenic patients[64,65], reduction by electroconvulsive therapy[62].

ODC activity and cellular expression is normal in brain autopsy samples from people who suffered from schizophrenia[65,66].

SMOX activity is markedly higher in sera of schizophrenic patients[67].

AMDI and SAT1 activities are unaltered in brain tissue of schizophrenia individuals[65].

Density of AGMAT-containing interneurons is reduced in the hippocampus of schizophrenia patients[43].

Increased ARG activity in the CSF of schizophrenia patients[67].

Increased ARGII activity and protein expression in postmortem brain tissue in schizophrenia[68].

ARG activity is lower in plasma of schizophrenia individuals[71].

Elevated blood concentrations of spermine and/or spermidine in drug-naïve and treated schizophrenia patients[73-75].

Long-term neuroleptic treatment reduces spermine levels[76,77].

Increased concentrations of spermidine and total PA in fibroblasts from schizophrenia patients (reviewed in[11]).

PA levels normal in postmortem brain tissue of schizophrenia persons[65].

Elevated levels of spermine, spermidine and putrescine in brains of psychotic individuals[77].

Increased agmatine concentrations in blood plasma and postmortem brains of individuals with first episode and chronic schizophrenia[68,78-80].

Antipsychotic treatment decreases blood agmatine levels[77].

Reduced blood agmatine concentrations in early-onset schizophrenia[81].

Increased concentrations of SAM in brain samples of schizophrenia patients[82].

SNP: Singlenucleotide polymorphism; OAT: Ornithine aminotransferase; ODC: Ornithine decarboxylase; SMOX: Spermine oxidase; AGMAT: Agmatinase; AMD: S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase; ARG: Arginase; PA: Polyamines; CSF: Cerebrospinal fluid; CFG: Convergent functional genomics; SAM: S-adenosylmethionine; SAT1: Spermidine/Spermine N1 acetyltransferase; PAO: Polyamine oxidase; AZIN: Antizyme inhibitor.