At the protein level, HERV-W Env hyperexpression in U251 human glioma cells triggered the production of the dopamine receptor D3 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), both associated with schizophrenia, and increased the phosphorylation of CREB protein, which is necessary for BDNF expression [168] and confirmed in human neuroblastoma cells [79]. Here, ERVW-1 is linked to schizophrenia.