The 5-HTTLPR polymorphism, platelet serotonin transporter activity and platelet serotonin content in underweight and weight-recovered females with anorexia nervosa

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Stefan Ehrlich - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Harvard Medical School (HMS), Massachusetts General Hospital (Author)
  • Leonora Franke - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)
  • Susann Scherag - , University of Duisburg-Essen (Author)
  • Roland Burghardt - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)
  • Regina Schott - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)
  • Nora Schneider - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)
  • Simone Brockhaus - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)
  • Jakob Hein - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)
  • Ralf Uebelhack - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)
  • Ulrike Lehmkuhl - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)

Abstract

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/109 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/109 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.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)483-490
Number of pages8
JournalEuropean archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience
Volume260
Issue number6
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2010
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

External IDs

PubMed 19957188
ORCID /0000-0003-2132-4445/work/160950867

Keywords

Keywords

  • 5-HTTLPR deletion/insertion polymorphism, Anorexia nervosa, Leptin, Platelet, Serotonin transporter