Elevated expression of integrin α IIb β IIIa in drug-naïve, first-episode schizophrenic patients

• Published in: Biological psychiatry (1969) 2002-11, Vol.52 (9), p.874-879
• Main Authors: Walsh, Marie-T.hérèse, Ryan, Martina, Hillmann, Andrew, Condren, Rita, Kenny, Dermot, Dinan, Timothy, Thakore, Jogin H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult and adolescent clinical studies; aggregation; antipsychotic medication; Biological and medical sciences; coagulation cascade; Drug toxicity and drugs side effects treatment; integrin; Medical sciences; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; platelets; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychoses; Schizophrenia; Toxicity: blood
• ISSN: 0006-3223; 1873-2402
• DOI: 10.1016/S0006-3223(02)01400-2

Patients with schizophrenia have an increased risk over the general public of developing cardiovascular illness. It is unknown if there are functional changes in platelet surface receptors in schizophrenia. We therefore analyzed the surface expression of glycoprotein (GP)Ib, the integrin receptor α IIbβ IIIa, CD62 (P-selectin), and CD63, and investigated platelet function in schizophrenic patients compared with healthy volunteers. Nineteen drug-naive, first-episode patients with a DSM IV diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia were compared with matched healthy controls. Flow cytometry was used to assess platelet surface expression levels of GPIb, α IIbβ IIIa, CD62, and CD63. Adenosine diphosphate-induced platelet aggregation was assayed. The schizophrenic patients had a significantly ( p < .0001) increased number of 68145 ± 8260.1 α IIbβ IIIa receptors, platelet compared with 56235 ± 8079.4 receptors, platelet in healthy controls. Patients with schizophrenia have increased platelet expression of α IIbβ IIIa, which may contribute to their increased risk of cardiovascular illness compared with the general population.