title: Taurine transporter in lymphocytes of patients with major depression treated with venlafaxine plus psychotherapy.
abstract: The taurine transporter and taurine are present in lymphocytes, where taurine functions as an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory agent. Taurine levels are elevated in lymphocytes of subjects with major depression, but returns to control levels after treatment with the antidepressant mirtazapine. Patients (40) were diagnosed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV of the American Psychiatric Association, and the severity of their condition was determined by the Hamilton Scale of Depression. One group of patients was treated with venlafaxine and the other with venlafaxine plus Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Lymphocytes were isolated from the peripheral blood by Ficoll/Hypaque. The coexistence of the taurine transporter with a subpopulation of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes was measured by immunofluorescence. The levels of the pro-inflammatory, IL-2, and the anti-inflammatory, IL-4, cytokines were determined by ELISA while plasma amino acid levels were determined by HPLC. The percentage of CD4+ cells significantly decreased after both treatments, whereas the levels of CD8+ cells remained unchanged. The taurine transporter of CD4+ and CD8+ cells decreased after integrate treatment. No differences were found in the levels of IL-2 while IL-4 levels increased after integrate treatment. The observed effects of treatment on the taurine transporter and IL-4 content might modify lymphocyte activity during depression.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Neuroquímica, Centro de Biofísica y Bioquímica, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cientificas, Caracas, Venezuela. ffazzino2000@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Fili
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fazzino
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Obregón
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morles
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rojas
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Arocha
authors.forename: Salvador
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mata
authors.forename: Lucimey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lima
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003511:Cyclohexanols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride; D000099247:Taurine Transporters
chemical_list: D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D003511:Cyclohexanols; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015847:Interleukin-4; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride; D000099247:Taurine Transporters