DIFFERENTIAL G-PROTEIN MEASURES IN MONONUCLEAR LEUKOCYTES OF PATIENTSWITH BIPOLAR MOOD DISORDER ARE STATE-DEPENDENT

Quantitative and functional measurements of G proteins were undertaken in mononuclear leukocytes of bipolar disordered patients comparing bi polar depressed with manic patients groups in order to verify whether any alterations observed in G protein functional or immunoreactive mea sures in bipolar mood disorder are state- or trait-dependent character istics. Compared with the control group of 30 subjects, isoproterenol- and carbamylcholine-enhanced Gpp(NH)p binding capacities were highly significantly increased in the group of 20 manic patients, while highl y significantly reduced in the group of 11 bipolar depressed patients. While manic patients showed highly significant elevations in mononucl ear leukocytes levels of G(alpha s) and G(alpha i), evaluated through immunoblot analysis using specific polyclonal antibodies against the s ubunit proteins, mononuclear leukocytes of bipolar depressed patients show significant reductions in G(alpha s) and G(alpha i) immunoreactiv e levels. G(beta) subunit levels were found to be similar in all three groups. The changes in G protein measures observed in mononuclear leu kocytes of mood disordered patients thus represent state characteristi cs of the disorder. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.