TY - JOUR
T1 - Nitric oxide production and monoamine oxidase activity in cancer patients during interferon-α therapy
AU - Fekkes, Durk
AU - Van Gool, Arthur R.
AU - Bannink, Marjolein
AU - Sleijfer, Stefan
AU - Kruit, Wim H.J.
AU - Van Der Holt, Bronno
AU - Eggermont, Alexander M.M.
AU - Hengeveld, Michiel W.
AU - Stoter, Gerrit
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was financially supported by a grant of the Foundation Nuts OHRA. The authors thank Ms. E. Bogaerts-Taal, Ms. S. A. van der Heide-Mulder, Ms. A. C. C. Voskuilen-Kooijman, Ms. M. Dros, Ms. A. van der Eng-Schipper, Ms. H. van der Eng, Ms. M. Mojka, Ms. C. H. C. van Noort, Ms. T. J. P. Pronk and Mr. H. van der Meulen for their skilled technical assistance.
PY - 2009/10
Y1 - 2009/10
N2 - Both increased and decreased nitric oxide (NO) synthesis have been reported in patients treated with interferon-α (IFN-α). Animal studies showed that IFN-α administration results in increased levels of biogenic amines, subsequent activation of monoamine oxidases (MAOs), and finally in a change in NO production due to the H2O2 generated by MAOs. We examined the potential relationship between NO production in plasma and MAO-B activity in platelets of 43 cancer patients during 8 weeks of treatment with IFN-α. NO synthesis was quantitated by measuring both the ratio of citrulline and arginine (CIT/ARG-ratio) and total nitrite/nitrate (NOx) levels. Compared to baseline, MAO activity and NOx increased, while the CIT/ARG-ratio decreased. No associations were found between NOx, MAO and CIT/ARG-ratio. Only few associations were observed between changes in the biochemical parameters and changes in psychopathology induced by IFN-α, of which the association between changes in CIT and lassitude was the most consistent. The results suggest that peripheral NO production and MAO activity are unrelated to each other, and that peripheral changes in these biochemical parameters induced by IFN-α are unlikely to contribute to definite psychiatric disturbance.
AB - Both increased and decreased nitric oxide (NO) synthesis have been reported in patients treated with interferon-α (IFN-α). Animal studies showed that IFN-α administration results in increased levels of biogenic amines, subsequent activation of monoamine oxidases (MAOs), and finally in a change in NO production due to the H2O2 generated by MAOs. We examined the potential relationship between NO production in plasma and MAO-B activity in platelets of 43 cancer patients during 8 weeks of treatment with IFN-α. NO synthesis was quantitated by measuring both the ratio of citrulline and arginine (CIT/ARG-ratio) and total nitrite/nitrate (NOx) levels. Compared to baseline, MAO activity and NOx increased, while the CIT/ARG-ratio decreased. No associations were found between NOx, MAO and CIT/ARG-ratio. Only few associations were observed between changes in the biochemical parameters and changes in psychopathology induced by IFN-α, of which the association between changes in CIT and lassitude was the most consistent. The results suggest that peripheral NO production and MAO activity are unrelated to each other, and that peripheral changes in these biochemical parameters induced by IFN-α are unlikely to contribute to definite psychiatric disturbance.
KW - Cancer
KW - Citrulline
KW - Depression
KW - Interferon-α
KW - Monoamine oxidase
KW - Nitric oxide
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=70349602507&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00726-008-0191-x
DO - 10.1007/s00726-008-0191-x
M3 - Article
C2 - 18953681
AN - SCOPUS:70349602507
SN - 0939-4451
VL - 37
SP - 703
EP - 708
JO - Amino Acids
JF - Amino Acids
IS - 4
ER -