Effects of sex steroids on the neurotransmitter-specific aromatic amino acids phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan in transsexual subjects.
OBJECTIVE
Phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan are essential aromatic amino acids and precursors of dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine and serotonin. The aim of this study was to assess whether sex steroids affect plasma levels of these aromatic amino acids.


METHODS
15 male-to-female (M-F) transsexuals were treated with 100 microg/day ethinyl estradiol and 100 mg/day cyproterone acetate, and 14 female-to-male (F-M) transsexuals were treated with testosterone esters 250 mg i.m. per 2 weeks. Plasma levels of hormones and amino acids were measured at baseline and after 4 and 12 months of cross-sex hormone administration, and analyzed by general linear models for repeated measures.


RESULTS
Plasma phenylalanine decreased by 7.5% (SD 3.0; p = 0.01); tyrosine by 18.3% (SD 4.6; p < 0.001), and tryptophan by 7.8% (SD 4.7; p = 0.03) after 12 months of estrogen + anti-androgen administration to M-F transsexuals. Administration of testosterone in F-M transsexuals did not induce significant changes in plasma levels of phenylalanine and tyrosine, but increased plasma tryptophan by 18.2% (SD 20.6; p = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Estrogens and anti-androgens reduce circulating levels of phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan in men, whereas testosterone administration increases plasma tryptophan levels in women. Sex steroids may influence the availability of neurotransmitter precursors.
Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. giltay@dds.nl
Erik J
EJ
Giltay
Mathijs C
MC
Bunck
Louis J
LJ
Gooren
Frans G
FG
Zitman
Michaela
M
Diamant
Tom
T
Teerlink
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D024322:Amino Acids, Aromatic / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D017373:Cyproterone Acetate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D010649:Phenylalanine / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D014189:Transsexualism / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism
D024322:Amino Acids, Aromatic; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D013739:Testosterone; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D014443:Tyrosine; D010649:Phenylalanine; D017373:Cyproterone Acetate; D014364:Tryptophan