PECULIARITIES OF BRAIN-DERIVED NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR AND MATRIX METALLOPROTEINASE-9 EXPRESSION DYNAMICS IN PATIENTS WITH PARANOID SCHIZOPHRENIA DEPENDING ON THE DURATION OF THE DISEASE.

The aim: To study the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in the blood serum of patients with paranoid schizophrenia and to trace the features of their dynamics depending on the duration of the disease and analyse the correlation between BDNF, MMP-9 serum levels and symptoms severity by using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Materials and methods: The study included 120 patients, namely 20 patients with paranoid schizophrenia diagnosed less than 3 years ago (Сomparison Group) and 100 patients with a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia (Study Group): 20 of them have been suffering from this disease from 3 to 5 years (Subgroup I); 10 patients - from 5 to 10 years (Subgroup II); 10 patients - from 10 to 15 years (Subgroup III); 10 patients - from 15 to 20 years (Subgroup IV); 10 patients - from 25 years and more (Subgroup V). The groups did not differ with respect to age or gender. The content of BDNF and MMP-9 in blood serum was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: BDNF concentration averaged 28.327 ± 5.32 pg/ml in the patients of Group I; 25.40 ± 2.31 pg/ml in Group II; 24.32 ± 3.1 pg/ml in Group III; 23.8 ± 1.32 pg/ml in Group IV; 21.39 ± 0.97 pg/ml in Group V; 9.36 ± 4.38 pg/ml in Group VI. The expression of MMP-9 in the experimental groups constituted: 942.84 ± 87.80 pg/ml, 1042.84 ± 87.80 pg/ml, 1142.53 ± 77.20 pg/ml, 1752.84 ± 77.80 pg/ml, 1542.84 ± 37.70 pg/ml, 2042.74 ± 47.80 pg/ml, respectively. Decreased BDNF negatively correlated with MMP-9 expression (r=0.46; p<0.05). Conclusions: The development of paranoid schizophrenia was manifested by an imbalance in BDNF level and MMP-9 expression which could affect neurogenesis, synapticplasticity, ability to learn and remember, therefore, they could be considered as diagnostic markers of the pathology. With the increase in the duration of the studied pathology, BDNF parameters decreased and MMP-9 expression increased. A negative correlation between them was noted.