PLATELET ADENYLATE-CYCLASE AND MONOAMINE-OXIDASE IN WOMEN WITH ALCOHOLISM OR A FAMILY HISTORY OF ALCOHOLISM

Purpose. Characteristic changes of platelet membrane monoamine oxidase and adenylate cyclase activities have been described in men with alco holism. We studied the occurrence of these changes in abstinent alcoho lic women and in nonalcoholic female control subjects with and without family histories of alcoholism.Methods. Blood samples were collected from 23 female alcoholics and 39 nonalcoholic female social drinkers. Platelet membrane assays were performed for monoamine oxidase and aden ylate cyclase activities. Results. Alcoholic women had lower basal ade nylate cyclase (p < 0.01) and adenylate cyclase activities stimulated by cesium fluoride (p < 0.001), by the guanine nucleotide analog 5'-gu anylylimidodiphosphate (p < 0.02), and by prostaglandin E1 (p < 0.01). Female control subjects with family histories of alcoholism also had lower basal adenylate cyclase (p < 0.01) and adenylate cyclase activit ies enhanced by incubation with cesium fluoride (p < 0.005) and 5'-gua nylylimidodiphosphate (p < 0.001). Monoamine oxidase activity levels m easured with (p < 0.001) and without ethanol (p < 0.01) were higher fo r alcoholic women. No significant differences were found between femal e control subjects with and without family histories of alcoholism for monoamine oxidase in the absence or presence of ethanol. Discussion. In vitro platelet adenylate cyclase activity may facilitate a diagnosi s of alcoholism in women and may be a biologic indicator of vulnerabil ity in the offspring of alcoholics.