Protein kinase A activity in platelets from patients with bipolar disorder.
BACKGROUND
Abnormal levels of protein kinase A (PKA) were found in patients with bipolar disorder (BD). Since altered levels are generally accompanied by functional modifications, the purpose of this study was to investigate PKA activity in patients with BD.


METHODS
PKA activity was assessed in platelets from 20 drug-free bipolar patients and 19 controls.


RESULTS
The cAMP-stimulated PKA activity was significantly increased in bipolar patients compared with controls.


CONCLUSIONS
This study made use of platelets, which may not fully represent changes occurring in specific brain regions.


CONCLUSIONS
This study adds to the growing evidence suggesting that abnormalities of PKA are associated with BD.
Tardito
Daniela
D
Center of Neuropharmacology, Department of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Milan, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy. daniela_tardito@hotmail.com
Mori
Silvia
S
Racagni
Giorgio
G
Smeraldi
Enrico
E
Zanardi
Raffaella
R
Perez
Jorge
J
D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000201:enzymology; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015398:Signal Transduction
D000242:Cyclic AMP; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases