DOPAMINE RECEPTOR D3R AND D4R MRNA LEVELS IN PERIPHERAL LYMPHOCYTES IN PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA AND ITS CORRELATION WITH SEVERITY OF ILLNESS

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Objective: This study aimed to assess D3R and D4R mRNA levels in patients with schizophrenia.
Subjects: Thirty six schizophrenia patients; 24 males (66.7%) and 12 females (33.3%) and 36 healthy
individuals; 23 males (63.9%) and 13 females (36.1%) as control subjects.
Methods: All schizophrenia patients are thoroughly screened and diagnosed for schizophrenia using
DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia.
Results: The mean values of D3 and D4 receptors mRNAs level among both studied cases and controls
show a highly statistically significant difference (P <0.001) between both schizophrenia patients and
their controls regarding levels of D3 and D4 mediators. D3 receptor mRNAs level influenced by PANS
scale of schizophrenic patients, as level of D3 R increased in PBLs with decreased schizophrenia
severity, and the difference was statistically significant (P <0.001), while the difference in D4 R level
was not statistically significant (P >0.05).
Conclusion: This study reveals that the molecular biologically-determined dopamine receptors (DR3
and DR4 mRNA) of peripheral lymphocytes are reactive after taking antipsychotics, and that increased
expression of dopamine receptor in peripheral lymphocyte has possible clinical significance for
subgrouping of schizophrenia.
Key words: DR3: dopamine receptor 3, DR4: dopamine receptor 4, RT- PCR: real time
polymerase chain reaction