Increased serum arginase
activity in depressed patients
by
Elgun S, Kumbasar H
University of Ankara,
Faculty of Medicine,
Department of Biochemistry, Turkey.
Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2000 Feb; 24(2):227-32

ABSTRACT

1. Arginase, an important part of the arginine-regulating system modulates nitric oxide generation; a neuroregulatory agent, which has been implicated in various neuropathological conditions. 2. In this regard, the authors investigated the arginine-nitric oxide pathway by measuring serum arginase activity in drug free major (n=18) and minor depressed outpatients (n=12) and healthy control subjects (n=30) in order to make a contribution to the understanding of disease mechanism. 3. Major depressed patients were found to have significantly higher serum arginase activity compared to controls (p<0.001) and minor depressives (p=0.001). Moreover, there was significant positive correlation between arginase activity and severity of depression in patients (p<0.001). 4. Results suggest that the arginine-nitric oxide pathway is involved in depression. Enhanced arginase activity in major depressed patients possibly leading to a decrease in nitric oxide synthesis may contribute to the symptomatology of depression.

SAMe
Agmatine
Noradrenaline
Buprenorphine
Vagus stimulation
New antidepressants
Substance P inhibitors
Nitric oxide synthase inhibitors

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