Gurguis G N, Yonkers K A, Phan S P, Blakeley J E, Williams A, Rush A J
Laboratory of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75216, USA.
Biol Psychiatry. 1998 Oct 1;44(7):600-9. doi: 10.1016/s0006-3223(98)00097-3.
Abnormal alpha 2-adrenergic receptor (AR) function is implicated in anxiety and depressive disorders. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is characterized by anxiety and depressive symptoms, which may be associated with changes in alpha 2AR function. Previous studies on alpha 2AR function during phases of the menstrual cycle in controls and PMDD patients are inconsistent.
alpha 2AR function was examined in 16 PMDD patients and 15 controls during the follicular phase, and in 10 PMDD patients during late luteal phase. Antagonist-measured maximum binding capacity, agonist-measured receptor density in high- and low-conformational states, and agonist affinity to both states were measured. Coupling efficiency to Gi protein was estimated.
There were no significant differences in coupling efficiency. PMDD patients had significantly low antagonist affinity; there were no differences in other binding parameters. There were no changes in alpha 2AR binding parameters between phases of menstrual cycle in PMDD women. alpha 2AR density and symptom severity were inversely related during the follicular phase in controls and patients. During luteal phase, alpha 2AR density correlated positively with symptom severity in patients. High follicular alpha 2AR density predicted more severe luteal symptoms in PMDD patients.
These findings are discussed in view of the molecular biology of alpha 2AR, and their role in PMDD, anxiety, and depressive disorders.
α2 - 肾上腺素能受体（AR）功能异常与焦虑症和抑郁症有关。经前烦躁障碍（PMDD）的特征是焦虑和抑郁症状，这可能与α2AR功能的变化有关。先前关于对照组和PMDD患者月经周期各阶段α2AR功能的研究结果并不一致。
在卵泡期对16例PMDD患者和15例对照进行α2AR功能检测，在黄体晚期对10例PMDD患者进行检测。测量拮抗剂测定的最大结合容量、激动剂测定的高构象和低构象状态下的受体密度以及激动剂对两种状态的亲和力。估计与Gi蛋白的偶联效率。
偶联效率无显著差异。PMDD患者的拮抗剂亲和力显著降低；其他结合参数无差异。PMDD女性月经周期各阶段之间α2AR结合参数无变化。在对照组和患者的卵泡期，α2AR密度与症状严重程度呈负相关。在黄体期，患者的α2AR密度与症状严重程度呈正相关。卵泡期α2AR密度高预示着PMDD患者黄体期症状更严重。
鉴于α2AR的分子生物学及其在PMDD、焦虑症和抑郁症中的作用，对这些发现进行了讨论。
