Urinary sulphatoxymelatonin as a biomarker of serotonin status in biogenic amine-deficient patients

Sci Rep. 2017 Nov 7;7(1):14675. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-15063-8.

Abstract

Melatonin is synthesized from serotonin and it is excreted as sulphatoxymelatonin in urine. We aim to evaluate urinary sulphatoxymelatonin as a biomarker of brain serotonin status in a cohort of patients with mutations in genes related to serotonin biosynthesis. We analized urinary sulphatoxymelatonin from 65 healthy subjects and from 28 patients with genetic defects. A total of 18 patients were studied: 14 with autosomal dominant and recessive guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase-I deficiency; 3 with sepiapterin reductase deficiency; and 1 with aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase deficiency. Further 11 patients were studied after receiving serotoninergic treatment (serotonin precursors, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors): 5 with aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase deficiency; 1 with sepiapterin reductase deficiency; 3 with dihydropteridine reductase deficiency; and 2 with 6-pyruvoyltetrahydropterin synthase deficiency. Among the patients without therapy, 6 presented low urinary sulphatoxymelatonin values, while most of the patients with guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase-I deficiency showed normal values. 5 of 11 patients under treatment presented low urine sulphatoxymelatonin values. Thus, decreased excretion of sulphatoxymelatonin is frequently observed in cases with severe genetic disorders affecting serotonin biosynthesis. In conclusion, sulphatoxymelatonin can be a good biomarker to estimate serotonin status in the brain, especially for treatment monitoring purposes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Biogenic Amines / metabolism*
  • Biomarkers / urine
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Melatonin / analogs & derivatives*
  • Melatonin / metabolism
  • Melatonin / urine
  • Metabolic Networks and Pathways
  • Metabolism, Inborn Errors / metabolism
  • Metabolism, Inborn Errors / urine
  • Middle Aged
  • Reference Values
  • Serotonin / metabolism*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Biogenic Amines
  • Biomarkers
  • 6-sulfatoxymelatonin
  • Serotonin
  • Melatonin