Discovery of biomarkers for evaluation of efficacy of psychopharmacotherapy is important task.

To study parameters characteristic for albumin binding sited in melancholic depression (MD) using fluorescent laser spectroscopy in range of 30–50 picoseconds.

22 patients with MD (dep) (F33.1 and 2) were investigated in dynamics of antidepressant therapy (venlafaxine: 75–150mg/daily) for 30 days. Control group (con) consists of 54 volunteers. Decay of fluorescence amplitude (A) of fluorescent probe K-35 from serum albumin was measured using laser. Earlier, we revealed 3 binding sites in albumin with amplitudes A₁, A₂ and A₃ with decay time of 1, 3 and 9 nanoseconds, respectively.

There was revealed significant decrease of amplitude A_{1 dep}, normalized on mean value of A₁ for controls (A_{1 dep}/A_{1 con}), for patients with MD after treatment with venlafaxine. In this case, A_{1 dep}values decreased and were equal to A₁ values of controls (P<0.01): A_{1 dep}/A_{1 con} before treatment–1.23 and after 30 days of therapy–0.97 relative units; for controls this value was–1.00 relative units. The same type of normalization was observed for amplitudes A₂ and A₃ of melancholic patients. There were revealed significant changes of A₃/A₁ ratio that points out on conformational changes of serum albumin molecule in dynamics of venlafaxine therapy.

We have registered unidirectional changes in albumin molecule in patients with MD. Investigated parameters can serve as potential biomarkers for evaluation of efficacy of psychopharmacotherapy.