The 5-HTTLPR polymorphism, platelet serotonin transporter activity and platelet serotonin content in underweight and weight-recovered females with anorexia nervosa.
Serotonin (5-HT) pathways play an important role in the pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa (AN). In this study, we investigated functional characteristics of the platelet 5-HT transporter and platelet 5-HT content in AN patients at various stages of their illness in comparison to healthy control woman (HCW) controlling for the 5-HTTLPR deletion/insertion polymorphism and other confounding variables. Fasting blood samples of 58 acutely underweight AN patients (acAN, BMI = 15.2 ± 1.4), 26 AN patients of the initial acAN sample after short-term/partial weight restoration (BMI = 17.3 ± 0.9), 36 weight-recovered AN patients (recAN, BMI = 20.7 ± 2.2) and 58 HCW (BMI = 21.6 ± 2.0) were assessed for kinetic characteristics of platelet 5-HT uptake (V (max), K (m)) and platelet 5-HT content. Plasma leptin served as an indicator of malnutrition. Mean V (max) and K (m) values were significantly higher in recAN subjects in comparison to HCW (2.05 ± 0.62 vs. 1.66 ± 0.40 nmol 5-HT/10(9) platelets min and 432 ± 215 vs. 315 ± 136 nmol, respectively) but there were no differences in platelet 5-HT content (464.8 ± 210.6 vs. 472.0 ± 162.2 ng 5-HT/10(9) platelets). 5-HT parameters in acAN patients and HCW were similar. 5-HTTLPR variants were not related to 5-HT platelet variables. In the longitudinal part of the study we found significantly increased 5-HT content but unchanged 5-HT uptake in AN patients after short-term/partial weight restoration. Our results highlight the importance of malnutrition for the interpretation of abnormalities in neurotransmitter systems in AN. Changes in platelet 5-HT transporter activity were related to the stage of the illness but not to 5-HTTLPR genotype. Increased V (max) and K (m) in recovered AN patients might mirror adaptive modulations of the 5-HT system.
Ehrlich
Stefan
S
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, CVK, Berlin, Germany. stefan@nmr.mgh.harvard.edu
Franke
Leonora
L
Scherag
Susann
S
Burghardt
Roland
R
Schott
Regina
R
Schneider
Nora
N
Brockhaus
Simone
S
Hein
Jakob
J
Uebelhack
Ralf
R
Lehmkuhl
Ulrike
U
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study; D006801:Humans; D054643:INDEL Mutation; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012701:Serotonin / Q000032:analysis*; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013851:Thinness / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D020738:Leptin; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D012701:Serotonin