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Prevalence of high serotonin uptake in lymphocytes of abstinent alcoholics.
- Source :
-
Biochemical pharmacology [Biochem Pharmacol] 1997 Jan 10; Vol. 53 (1), pp. 53-7. - Publication Year :
- 1997
-
Abstract
- An impairment in serotonergic neurotransmission may be associated with alcoholism. We recently identified a high-affinity serotonin transporter (5-HTT) in human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs). Moreover, molecular analysis of RNA samples of human lymphocytes using reverse transcription, coupled with polymerase chain reaction, enabled us to confirm the expression of a 5-HTT identical to the one reported in neuronal tissues, as evidenced by hybridization and sequence analysis. In this investigation, we measured the serotonin (5-HT) uptake in PBLs of recovering alcoholics (N = 10) with long-term abstinence (2-10 years) and non-alcoholic controls (N = 10). 5-HT uptake was measured by incubating 1 x 10(7) cells of PBLs with [3H]5-HT (3-1000 nM; sp. act. 23 Ci/mmol) for 10 min at 37 degrees. The results of this preliminary study revealed that abstinent alcoholics had significantly (P < 0.01) increased uptake of 5-HT (43.6 +/- 5.70 pmol/10(7) cells) as compared with controls (23.33 +/- 2.50 pmol/10(7) cells). An enhanced uptake of 5-HT in PBLs of abstinent alcoholics agrees with previously reported observations of increased 5-HT uptake in brain and platelets of former alcoholics and their descendants. This suggested that a serotonergic mechanism may be linked to the heredity of alcoholism.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Alcoholics Anonymous
Carrier Proteins physiology
Female
Humans
Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid cerebrospinal fluid
Male
Membrane Glycoproteins physiology
Middle Aged
Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
Alcoholism metabolism
Lymphocytes metabolism
Membrane Transport Proteins
Nerve Tissue Proteins
Serotonin metabolism
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0006-2952
- Volume :
- 53
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Biochemical pharmacology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 8960063
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/s0006-2952(96)00726-5