Prevalence of high serotonin uptake in lymphocytes of abstinent alcoholics.
An impairment in serotonergic neurotransmission may be associated with alcoholism. We recently identified a high-affinity serotonin transporter (5-HTT) in human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs). Moreover, molecular analysis of RNA samples of human lymphocytes using reverse transcription, coupled with polymerase chain reaction, enabled us to confirm the expression of a 5-HTT identical to the one reported in neuronal tissues, as evidenced by hybridization and sequence analysis. In this investigation, we measured the serotonin (5-HT) uptake in PBLs of recovering alcoholics (N = 10) with long-term abstinence (2-10 years) and non-alcoholic controls (N = 10). 5-HT uptake was measured by incubating 1 x 10(7) cells of PBLs with [3H]5-HT (3-1000 nM; sp. act. 23 Ci/mmol) for 10 min at 37 degrees. The results of this preliminary study revealed that abstinent alcoholics had significantly (P < 0.01) increased uptake of 5-HT (43.6 +/- 5.70 pmol/10(7) cells) as compared with controls (23.33 +/- 2.50 pmol/10(7) cells). An enhanced uptake of 5-HT in PBLs of abstinent alcoholics agrees with previously reported observations of increased 5-HT uptake in brain and platelets of former alcoholics and their descendants. This suggested that a serotonergic mechanism may be linked to the heredity of alcoholism.
Faraj
B A
BA
Department of Radiology (Division of Nuclear Medicine), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
Olkowski
Z L
ZL
Jackson
R T
RT
D000328:Adult; D000436:Alcoholics Anonymous; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000378:metabolism*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D012701:Serotonin; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid