DECREASED ADHESIVENESS AND ALTERED CELLULAR-DISTRIBUTION OF FIBRONECTIN IN FIBROBLASTS FROM SCHIZOPHRENIC-PATIENTS

Relative to those from normal subjects, cultured skin fibroblasts from schizophrenic patients have been found to show abnormal growth charac teristics and morphology. This study compared skin fibroblasts from 10 drug-free schizophrenic patients and 10 normal control subjects on ce ll adhesiveness to the substratum. Relative to fibroblasts from normal controls, those from patients showed significantly decreased cell adh esiveness, with no overlap in distribution between the groups. Since f ibronectin, a major cell surface molecule, is known to be involved in the fibroblast adhesion to substratum, its extracellular and intracell ular distribution was determined by immunocytochemical analysis. Both extracellular and intracellular levels of fibronectin were significant ly lower, and the distribution was altered in fibroblasts from the pat ients.