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Agonist Binding to α 2 ‐Adrenoceptors Is Elevated in the Locus Coeruleus from Victims of Suicide
Author(s) -
Ordway Gregory A.,
Widdowson Peter S.,
Smith Karen Streator,
Halaris Angelos
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1046/j.1471-4159.1994.63020617.x
Subject(s) - locus coeruleus , agonist , yohimbine , norepinephrine , medicine , endocrinology , antagonist , adrenergic receptor , chemistry , receptor , central nervous system , biology , dopamine
The binding of an agonist, p ‐[ 125 I]iodoclonidine, and an antagonist, [ 3 H]yohimbine, to α 2 ‐adrenoceptors was measured autoradiographically in the locus coeruleus from 10 pairs of antidepressant‐free victims of suicide and age‐matched controls. Agonist binding to α 2 ‐adrenoceptors was significantly greater in the locus coeruleus from victims of suicide compared with control subjects. In contrast, antagonist binding to α 2 ‐adrenoceptors in the locus coeruleus did not differ significantly between control and suicide subjects. HPLC analysis of norepinephrine in tissue sections of the locus coeruleus did not reveal any differences between control subjects and suicide victims, suggesting that differences in agonist binding are not a result of differences in retention of the endogenous agonist norepinephrine in tissue sections. The increase in agonist binding to α 2 ‐adrenoceptors in the locus coeruleus of victims of suicide links an altered expression of the high‐affinity state of autoinhibitory α 2 ‐adrenoceptors with suicide.