Lower serum activity of prolyl endopeptidase in fibromyalgia is related to severity of depressive symptoms and pressure hyperalgesia

Abstract

The results show that fibromyalgia, and aberrant pain perception and depressive symptoms in fibromyalgia are related to lower serum PEP activity. It is hypothesized that lower serum PEP activity may play a role in the biophysiology of fibromyalgia through diminished inactivation of algesic and depression-related peptides.

Características de pacientes com síndrome da fibromialgia atendidos em hospital de Salvador-BA, Brasil

“…Agentes bacterianos e virais podem estar relacionados com a origem dessa síndrome (11) , havendo alguma associação entre a doença e a infecção pelo vírus da hepatite C (12,13) . Além do possível efeito psicossomático, as áreas de função do sistema nervoso que podem estar representando algum papel na patogênese da SF incluem: alterações na sensibilidade dolorosa (10,(14)(15)(16) , alterações autonô-micas (17) e de sistemas neuroendócrinos (18,19) . Uma vez que a SF permaneça como uma entidade de etiopatogenia provavelmente de natureza multifatorial e ainda não suficientemente esclarecida, sem exames complementares consistentes que auxiliem no diagnóstico, o exame físico e anamnese de qualidade tornam-se as únicas e reconhecidas fontes de dados para o diagnóstico da síndrome.…”

A guardian angel: the involvement of dipeptidyl peptidase IV in psychoneuroendocrine function, nutrition and immune defence

“…In fibromyalgia, changes in DPP IV serum activity, presumed to exist because of (a) the presence of depressive symptoms and (b) the role of DPP IV in the degradation of collagen and other components of the extracellular matrix, could not be observed [83]. Rather, the serum activity of another peptidase, prolyl endopeptidase (PEP), was shown to be decreased in patients with fibromyalgia.…”

“…Plas- [79] in serum on lymphocytes Systemic lupus erythematosus [67] in serum in all patients No data available in lymphocytes of patients with active disease Rheumatoid arthritis [69] in synovial fluid No data available Pregnancy [80] in serum No data available AIDS [78] Normal no. of DPP IV-positive lymphocytes Major depression [81] in serum No data available Schizophrenia [82] in serum No data available Fibromyalgia [83] Normal No data available Anorexia nervosa [84] in serum no. of DPP IV-positive lymphocytes minogen and streptokinase have both been shown to bind to DPP IV expressed on rheumatoid synovial fibroblasts [72].…”

Status of immune mediators in fibromyalgia

“…It was recently reported that patients with FM had signifi cantly lower serum prolyl endopeptidase (PEP) activity than did normal volunteers [ 37 ]. Moreover, signifi cant negative correlations between serum PEP activity and severity of pressure hyperalgesia were found in FM.…”

“…These fi ndings suggest that lower PEP activity may be related to the pressure hyperalgesia that occurs in FM. PEP is a cytosolic endopeptidase that cleaves peptide bonds on the carboxyl side of proline in proteins of rela-• • • tively small molecular mass [ 37 ]. PEP plays a role in the regulation of intracellular protein turnover and also in the fi nal degradation and processing of mature peptide hormones and neuropeptides.…”