title: Biological markers in juvenile depression.
abstract: 3H-p-Aminoclonidine binding to platelets of children and adolescents with major depressive disorder was compared to that of a healthy control population. Significantly higher alpha 2-adrenoceptor Kd and Bmax values were observed in the patient population. 3H-Dihydroalprenolol binding to lymphocyte membranes of the same patient population showed significantly higher beta-adrenoceptor Bmax values than controls. Control females had significantly higher beta-adrenoceptor Kd values than control males, and the female patients had significantly lower beta-adrenoceptor Kd values than control females. 3H-Imipramine binding to platelets of these patients showed significantly higher imipramine Kd values in patients with a suicide attempt, whereas the imipramine Bmax values were significantly increased in patients with major depressive disorder with or without a suicide attempt. We propose that increased platelet alpha 2-adrenoceptor Kd and Bmax values, together with increased platelet imipramine Kd values, may serve as possible biological markers for children and adolescents with major depressive disorder and a tendency toward suicide. Elevated platelet imipramine and lymphocyte beta-adrenoceptor Bmax values may be biological markers for juvenile depression, and decreased beta-adrenoceptor Kd values may be a biological marker for depression in young females.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, University of Stellenbosch, Tygerberg Hospital, Republic of South Africa.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Carstens
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Engelbrecht
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: van Zyl
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Taljaard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism*; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D002648:Child; D003000:Clonidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology; D004082:Dihydroalprenolol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006801:Humans; D007099:Imipramine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic / Q000378:metabolism*; D011955:Receptors, Drug; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic; D011955:Receptors, Drug; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter; C027775:imipramine receptor; D004082:Dihydroalprenolol; C016986:apraclonidine; D003000:Clonidine; D007099:Imipramine