Abnormal glucocorticoid dependent increase of spiperone binding sites on lymphocytes from schizophrenics in vitro.

The attempt was made to revise experimentally the concept of spiperone binding to human peripheral lymphocytes as a peripheral marker for schizophrenic disorder. Although it was not possible to detect differences in spiperone binding in freshly isolated lymphocytes from schizophrenics and controls, a significant increase in spiperone binding became apparent when the lymphocytes from patients were cultured in vitro in the presence of physiological concentrations of glucocorticoids. From our findings we have to assume that glucocorticoid-dependent regulation of the gene(s) containing the coding for spiperone binding sites could be functionally affected in distinct forms of schizophrenic psychosis. The glucocorticoid-induced increase of spiperone binding of human lymphocytes could represent a dynamic peripheral marker system. It further has to be investigated whether this concept of a regulatory dysfunction, as observed in lymphocytes from schizophrenic patients, can be applied to the CNS in general.