Relationship between a myelin-associated phosphodiesterase CNP and schizophrenia

• Grant number: 16/07948-8
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): October 01, 2016
• Effective date (End): September 30, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry
• Principal Investigator: Daniel Martins-de-Souza
• Grantee: Bradley Joseph Smith
• Home Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/08711-3 - Developing a predictive test for a successful medication response and understanding the molecular bases of schizophrenia through proteomics, AP.JP

Abstract

CNPase (2',3'-Cyclic-nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase) is showing promising potential in being a protein biomarker for the mental illness schizophrenia, due to a modified expression pattern in schizophrenia patients. This condition affects around 0.5% of the population, leading to a range of symptoms that impair the ability to be self-sufficient and mesh with society, and is only currently diagnosable via self-reported information, lacking any definitive biological test. To better understand the extent of CNPase's role in the disease, the cellular pathways surrounding the protein must be identified and evaluated. This will be done with comparative CNPase co-immunoprecipitation experiments on brain tissue of healthy and schizophrenia-affected individuals, which will lead to the isolation of the CNPase interactome. These proteins will be analyzed extensively by state-of-the-art shotgun mass spectrometry, followed by and label-free quantification. A better understanding of associated proteins in neurons can provide important insight into the causes or direct effects of schizophrenia, or help deciphering whether this protein or its partners can serve as a new therapeutical target.