Maes M, Delanghe J, Meltzer H Y, Scharpé S, D'Hondt P, Cosyns P
Department of Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.
Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1994 Oct;90(4):252-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1994.tb01589.x.
Previous studies have suggested that depression and suicide are related to alterations in total cholesterol serum concentrations, and that an altered distribution of haptoglobin (Hp) phenotypes in major depression indicates that variation on chromosome 16 may be associated with that illness. Lecithin:cholesterol acyl transferase (LCAT, EC 2.3.1.43), the enzyme that catalyzes the esterifying reaction of cholesterol in serum, is located close to the Hp gene. This study examined the serum concentrations of total and free cholesterol and the esterified cholesterol ratio in 26 healthy controls, 47 unipolar depressed subjects (16 minor, 14 simple major and 17 melancholic depressed subjects) and 12 relatives of melancholic subjects. Depressed subjects (regardless of subtype) and relatives of depressed subjects had a significantly lower esterified cholesterol ratio than normal controls. No significant differences in total or free cholesterol concentrations were found between the above study groups. In depressed subjects, there were no significant relationships between the esterified cholesterol ratio, total or free cholesterol and postdexamethasone adrenocorticotropic or cortisol values, Hp phenotypes, severity of illness or suicidal symptoms. It is hypothesized that lower esterification in serum cholesterol may constitute a vulnerability factor for depression through alterations in cell membrane microviscosity.
以往的研究表明，抑郁和自杀与血清总胆固醇浓度的改变有关，并且在重度抑郁中触珠蛋白（Hp）表型分布的改变表明16号染色体上的变异可能与该疾病相关。卵磷脂：胆固醇酰基转移酶（LCAT，EC 2.3.1.43），即催化血清中胆固醇酯化反应的酶，位于靠近Hp基因的位置。本研究检测了26名健康对照者、47名单相抑郁患者（16名轻度、14名单纯重度和17名抑郁发作患者）以及12名抑郁发作患者亲属的血清总胆固醇、游离胆固醇浓度和胆固醇酯化率。抑郁患者（无论亚型）及其亲属的胆固醇酯化率显著低于正常对照者。上述研究组之间在总胆固醇或游离胆固醇浓度方面未发现显著差异。在抑郁患者中，胆固醇酯化率、总胆固醇或游离胆固醇与地塞米松后促肾上腺皮质激素或皮质醇值、Hp表型、疾病严重程度或自杀症状之间均无显著相关性。据推测，血清胆固醇酯化率降低可能通过细胞膜微粘度的改变而构成抑郁的一个易患因素。
