title: High levels of Gs alpha in platelets of euthymic patients with bipolar affective disorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous investigations have suggested the involvement of signal-transducing guanine-nucleotide-binding proteins (G proteins) both in the mechanism of action of lithium and in the pathophysiology of bipolar affective disorder. To determine whether such G protein abnormalities are a trait phenomenon, the authors investigated the levels of G protein alpha subunits in platelets and lymphocytes of euthymic patients with bipolar affective disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  Selective antibodies were used to quantitate levels of G protein alpha subunits regulating adenylylcyclase activity (Gs alpha-both 45- and 52-kDa forms- and Gil-2 alpha) and those regulating phosphoinositide turnover (Gq/11 alpha) in both platelets and lymphocytes of 44 euthymic patients with bipolar affective disorder and 27 matched comparison subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Levels of both Gs alpha 45 and Gs alpha 52 were higher in the platelets of the euthymic bipolar patients (both bipolar I and bipolar II) than in those of the comparison subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings are consistent with previous reports of high Gs alpha levels in bipolar affective disorder and, furthermore, suggest that such levels may be a trait abnormality for this condition.
authors.affiliation: Experimental Therapeutics Branch, NIMH, Bethesda, Md., USA. phil.mitchell@unsw.edu.au
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Manji
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jolkovsky
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Smith-Jackson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Denicoff
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: W Z
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Potter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008094:Lithium / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D008094:Lithium; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins