Endogenous Plasma Lithium Concentrations and Schizophrenia / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare endogenous plasma lithium concentrations among schizophrenic patients classified by DSM-IV subtype and control groups and to investigate the correlation of endogenous plasma lithium concentration and psychotic symptoms in schizophrenia. METHODS: Schizophrenic patients were selected among psychiatric inpatients without lithium medication and then classified by DSM-IV schizophrenia subtype. Schizophrenic patient groups were composed of 15 disorganized type, 15 paranoid type and 15 undifferentiated type schizophrenic patients. The control group was composed of 15 healthy subjects without any psychiatric disease. Endogenous plasma lithium concentrations were estimated by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer. The psychotic symptoms in schizophrenic patients were classified as positive symptoms, negative symptoms and disorganized symptoms according to andreasen classification1 about SANS and SAPS items. Endogenous plasma lithium concentration among three subtypes of schizophrenia and control group was compared, and correlation between endogenous plasma lithium concentrations and psychotic symptoms was examined. RESULTS: 1) Schizoprenic patients showed higher endogenous plasma lithium concentration than control groups (p=0.033). Endogenous plasma lithium concentrations were significantly different among three subtypes of schizophrenia (p=0.001). Compared with the control group, disorganized type showed higher endogenous plasma lithium concentration, but paranoid type and undifferentiated type were not significantly different. 2) Disorganized symptoms correlated with endogenous plasma lithium concentration (r=0.416, p=0.004), but negative symptom and positive symptom did not significantly correlate with endogenous plasma lithium concentration (r=0.202, p=0.184. r=-0.216, p=0.155). CONCLUSION: These results suggested that schizophrenic patients with disorganized symptom show the differences in utilization or distribution of endogenous lithium.

Epidermal Growth Factor Dependent Expression of Plasminogen Activator and Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor in Rat Hepatocytes in Primary Culture

PURPOSE: In order to clarify the the role of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in the regulation of plasminogen activator (PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) during liver regeneration, we investigated the EGF-dependent gene expression of PA and PAI-1 in rat hepatocytes in primary culture. METHODS: Hepatocytes were isolated from rats using a two step perfusion technique and cultivated in dishes precoated with rat tail collagen. DNA synthesis of the hepatocytes by EGF treatment was measured with (3)H-thymidine incorporation. Gene expression for PAI-1, uPA and tPA was examined using Northern blot hybridization analysis. RESULTS: EGF treatment increased the (3)H-thymidine incorporation of the hepatocytes up to 36 hours and normal polygonal hepatocyte morphology was achieved simultaneously. tPA and PAI-1 mRNA were detected in the control hepatocytes. With the EGF treatment, the tPA mRNA level increased with time up to 48 hours, however the PAI-1 mRNA level rapidly increased to 1 hour and then decreased quickly to the control level. On the contrary, uPA mRNA was not detected in hepatocytes with or without treatment of EGF. The EGF-dependent induction of tPA and PAI-1 mRNA was a protein synthesis independent process. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that differential expression of tPA and PAI-1 mRNA by EGF in hepatocytes may play an important role in the regulation of liver regeneration. Among PAs, tPA seemed to be more important in EGF dependent growth or regeneration of primary hepatocytes in the rat since uPA mRNA was not induced in primary hepatocyte cultures in spite of EGF treatment.