title: Elevated plasma concentrations of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, a putative endogenous inhibitor of the tritiated imipramine binding site, in depressed patients.
abstract: The plasma concentration of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, a putative endogenous inhibitor of the site labeled by tritiated imipramine, was measured by a radial immunodiffusion assay in 36 normal human volunteers and 51 drug-free patients who fulfilled DSM-III criteria for major depression. The depressed patients exhibited a significant elevation in the plasma concentration (+/- SEM) of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (79.6 +/- 4 mg/dL) when compared with the age- and sex-matched controls (61.7 +/- 3 mg/dL). Fourteen of the 51 patients with major depression had plasma alpha 1-acid glycoprotein concentrations that were higher than the highest values of the normal controls. There was no relationship between plasma alpha 1-acid glycoprotein concentrations and sex or affinity of platelet tritiated imipramine binding of either the normal volunteers or the depressed patients. In the depressed patients, there was a significant positive correlation between plasma concentrations of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein and postdexamethasone plasma cortisol concentrations, and two measures of depression severity, the Montgomery-Asberg Rating Scale for Depression and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale, and a significant negative correlation with age. These data provide the first evidence of alterations of an endogenous inhibitor of the tritiated imipramine binding site/serotonin transporter in depressed patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Nemeroff
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Krishnan
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Blazer
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Benjamin
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Meyerson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D003907:Dexamethasone; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009961:Orosomucoid / Q000032:analysis*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011955:Receptors, Drug; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D009961:Orosomucoid; D011955:Receptors, Drug; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter; C027775:imipramine receptor; D003907:Dexamethasone; D006854:Hydrocortisone