Alpha-actinin-1, profilin-1, filamin-A, integrin alpha-M and glutathione synthase were identified to be associated with cognitive and social functions of schizophrenia

Mass spectrometry-based proteomics is a powerful analytical technique for identifying and quantifying proteins in the human plasma, which may be related to the onset, course or the prognosis of schizophrenia. Our study enrolled 46 patients with schizophrenia and 43 healthy controls, who were collected morning fasting venous blood and completed scale assessment. Then mass spectrometry analysis was performed to identify differential proteins and correlation analysis and multiple regression were conducted to explore the relationship between protein biomarkers and psychiatric symptoms, cognitive function and social function in patients with schizophrenia. Compared with the control group, the patient group showed lower immediate and delayed accuracy rates in pattern recognition memory. Alpha-actinin-1 and profilin-1 were positively associated with immediate pattern recognition accuracy. Both were also negatively associated with total number of errors of spatial working memory. Meanwhile, filamin-A was positively associated with immediate accuracy rate and delay accuracy rate of pattern recognition memory. In addition, integrin alpha-M was negatively correlated with factor I of the scale of social function and glutathione synthetase was positively correlated with the total score, factor I, factor II and factor III of the scale of social function in psychosis inpatients. Our study indicated that alpha-actinin-1, profilin-1 and filamin-A may be related to cognitive functions, integrin alpha-M and glutathione synthase may be related to social function outcome of patients with schizophrenia.