BST-1 as a serum protein biomarker involved in neutrophil infiltration in schizophrenia

Abstract

Objectives

Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness. The serum protein biomarkers of schizophrenia were explored using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) technology. The underlying function of the identified protein biomarker was also investigated.

Methods

We first collected serum samples from 12 schizophrenia patients and 12 healthy control (HC) subjects, followed by global screening with iTRAQ and tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In total, 691 serum proteins were detected and eight proteins, including ZYX, OSCAR, TPM4, SDPR, BST1, ARGHDB, ITIH5 and SH3BGRL3, were selected for further specific validation with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) on the serum samples from 52 schizophrenia patients and 50 HC subjects.

Results

Schizophrenia patients had significantly lower serum level of BST1 and higher ITIH5 level than the HC subjects did. Using the levels of BST1, ITIH5 and OSCAR combined with machine learning algorithm, we developed a prediction model of schizophrenia with an auROC value 0.78. Moreover, in vitro cell assay confirmed that BST1 significantly repressed neutrophil infiltration through endothelial layer, highlighted the anti-inflammation nature of BST1.

Conclusions

Four novel protein markers (BST1, ITIH5, SDPR, and OSCAR) of schizophrenia were identified, and BST-1 could serve as a serum protein biomarker involved in neutrophil infiltration in schizophrenia.

Keywords:

• iTRAQ
• proteomics
• schizophrenia
• gene
• inflammation

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Acknowledgements

The authors express their deepest gratitude to Miss. Yu-Ting Gau, Yi-Hsuan Lee, Pei-Yi Lee and Joanne Lo for assisting in participant recruitment, and thank all of the individuals who participated in this study. We thank the Genomics and Proteomics Core Laboratory, Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital for technical support.

Statement of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Research Project [CMRPG8H0711].