Scientists from the Griffith University’s Eskitis Institute for Drug Discovery, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and University College Dublin have made an exciting new discovery about schizophrenia. The scientists have found that stem cells from adults with schizophrenia form new proteins more slowly than the stem cells in normal people. The findings are an important breakthrough for stem cell research on proteins.

Researchers believe the breakthrough will help them gain an understanding of how schizophrenia works within the brain. They will also be able to develop better drugs in the future by understanding how protein generation in schizophrenic people differs from healthy people. The research was published online in the journal Translational Psychiatry.

According to lead researcher Professor Emeritus Alan Mackay-Sim, an analysis of almost 1000 proteins in patient’s stem cells showed that their capacity to make new proteins was compromised. Professor Mackay-Sim explains: “Proteins are the workhorses of all cells and make up most of a cell’s structure and functions. Cells live in a very dynamic environment and protein synthesis, which is so important for brain development, function and learning, is impacted by environmental and genetic factors.”

Researchers have realised that many small genetic variants are linked and share control over some aspects of cellular synthesis — including protein synthesis. If protein synthesis is altered, cell functions will change with it. These minor changes in proteins could affect the brain and may be significantly contributing to schizophrenia in adult patients.

Scientists have already identified hundreds of risk genes for schizophrenia. This new research gives scientists a clue as to why those risk genes are linked with schizophrenia — they may often be related to protein production.

Researchers have also discovered that it may not be as simple as a lack of proteins, it could also be caused be too many proteins. Another research paper from the United States found grew some induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSCs) from people with schizophrenia. These IPSCs were grown from the skin cells of patients, and then turned into neural cells.

They found that the protein making machinery in the stem cells was working at a faster pace than normal. Professor Mackay-Sim explains that while these findings seem like a contradiction, it actually backs up their findings, saying: “The two studies support each other by showing that the regulation of protein synthesis is subtly disturbed in the cells of people with schizophrenia.”

This is an important forward step in stem cell research on proteins.

Source: Stem Cell Research on Proteins Gives New Insights into Schizophrenia

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