Elevated 3H-para-aminoclonidine binding to platelet purified plasma membranes from depressed patients

Purified platelet plasma membranes were used to compare 3H-para-aminoclonidine binding in 18 depressed patients and 24 sex- and age-matched, healthy control subjects. Two site-selective concentrations of the radioligand were used (0.06 and 1.5 nmol/L) to investigate two high-affinity 3H-para-aminoclonidine binding sites. Radioligand binding was significantly elevated in platelets of depressed patients at both concentrations of 3H-para-aminoclonidine whether expressed per milligram protein, per platelet, or per square micrometer of platelet surface area (each p less than 0.02). These data agree with most previous studies, suggesting that a subset of platelet alpha 2 adrenoceptors, recognized by clonidine and its derivative para-aminoclonidine, is upregulated in depressed patients. By using purified plasma membranes, our data rule out the possibility that an inhibitor may have masked receptor binding in previous studies which used total platelet lysates. The present findings thus support the alpha 2 adrenoceptor hypersensitivity theory of depression.