Reduction of chromogranin A and B but not C in the cerebrospinal fluid in subjects with schizophrenia

The granins (secretogranins/chromogranins) are a family of soluble proteins stored and released from the secretory large dense-core vesicles of the sy napse. Schizophrenia is a common and devastating brain disorder. Although t he aetiology of schizophrenia is unknown, data are accumulating that synapt ic disturbance or damage may be of importance. The objective of this study was to compare the levels of chromogranin A, B and C in the cerebrospinal f luid (CSF) of patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. CSF chromog ranin levels were measured by RIA in 33 subsequent admissions of patients w ith psychotic disorder and in 31 healthy controls. The levels of CSF chromo granin A (11.8+/-3.0 vs 14.8+/-4.8 nmol/l, P=0.004), chromogranin B (3.4+/- 0.49 vs 3.7+/-0.58 nmol/l, P=0.02), but not chromogranin C (70.2+/-15.7 vs 65.3+/-20.4 pmol/l, P=0.29) were lower in the schizophrenic patients than i n the healthy controls. These data indicate that two widespread constituent s of large dense-core vesicles, i.e. chromogranin A and chromogranin B, are altered in chronic schizophrenic patients. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V./ ECNP. All rights reserved.