Vannacci Alfredo, Ravaldi Claudia, Giannini Lucia, Rotella Carlo Maria, Masini Emanuela, Faravelli Carlo, Ricca Valdo
Department of Preclinical and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Florence, Italy.
Neurosci Lett. 2006 May 22;399(3):230-3. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2006.01.060. Epub 2006 Feb 21.
Animal studies showed that nitric oxide (NO)/cyclic-GMP (cGMP) pathway is involved in the modulation of eating behavior. To address its role in eating disorders (ED), plasma nitrite and cGMP levels were studied in 50 ED patients (25 with Anorexia Nervosa, AN; 25 with Bulimia Nervosa, BN) and 20 sex- and age-matched controls (C). Nitrites (nmol/mg protein, mean+/-S.E.M.: any ED 1.01+/-0.29; AN 1.15+/-0.47; BN 0.88+/-0.36; C 0.25+/-0.07; p<0.01) and cGMP (nmol/ml plasma, mean+/-S.E.M.: any ED 2.58+/-0.60; AN 2.81+/-1.10; BN 2.41+/-0.70; C 0.11+/-0.05; p<0.01) were significantly higher in ED patients than in C. Nitrite and cGMP levels inversely correlated with BMI in AN patients (nitrites: r=-0.62 p<0.01; cGMP r=-0.45 p<0.05) but not in BN patients (nitrites: r=-0.15 p=0.49; cGMP: r=-0.05 p=0.13) or in control subjects (nitrites: r=0.11 p=0.98; cGMP r=0.37 p=0.32). Significant correlations were also present in bulimic patients between nitrite levels, frequency of binges and several psychopathological dimensions, as assessed through the EDE. This is the first evidence of an alteration of the NO pathway in ED patients. Further studies are needed to ascertain whether an increase in NO levels plays a possible role in the pathogenesis of ED.
动物研究表明，一氧化氮（NO）/环磷酸鸟苷（cGMP）途径参与进食行为的调节。为了探讨其在饮食失调（ED）中的作用，我们研究了50例ED患者（25例神经性厌食症，AN；25例神经性贪食症，BN）和20例性别及年龄匹配的对照者（C）的血浆亚硝酸盐和cGMP水平。亚硝酸盐（nmol/mg蛋白质，平均值±标准误：任何ED患者为1.01±0.29；AN患者为1.15±0.47；BN患者为0.88±0.36；C组为0.25±0.07；p<0.01）和cGMP（nmol/ml血浆，平均值±标准误：任何ED患者为2.58±0.60；AN患者为2.81±1.10；BN患者为2.41±0.70；C组为0.11±0.05；p<0.01）在ED患者中显著高于C组。在AN患者中，亚硝酸盐和cGMP水平与体重指数呈负相关（亚硝酸盐：r=-0.62，p<0.01；cGMP：r=-0.45，p<0.05），但在BN患者（亚硝酸盐：r=-0.15，p=0.49；cGMP：r=-0.05，p=0.13）或对照者（亚硝酸盐：r=0.11，p=0.98；cGMP：r=0.37，p=0.32）中无此相关性。通过进食障碍评定量表（EDE）评估，在贪食症患者中，亚硝酸盐水平、暴食频率与几个精神病理学维度之间也存在显著相关性。这是ED患者中NO途径改变的首个证据。需要进一步研究以确定NO水平升高是否在ED的发病机制中起可能作用。
