Abstract
Recent studies from this laboratory have provided some evidence that major depression, in particular melancholia, may be accompanied by an immune response. The present study was designed to investigate whether severe depression is characterized by increased interleukin-6 (Il-6) activity and whether Il-6 production is related to altered levels of acute phase reactants and to abnormal function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Measurements were made in 8 healthy control subjects and 24 depressed inpatients of Il-6 production in culture supernatants of mitogen-stimulated peripheral leukocytes and plasma levels of haptoglobin (Hp), transferrin (Tf), and postdexamethasone cortisol. Il-6 activity was significantly higher in melancholic subjects than in healthy control subjects and in patients with minor depression or nonmelancholic major depression. Il-6 production was significantly correlated with Hp (positively) and Tf (negatively) plasma levels. There were significant and positive correlations between Il-6 activity and postdexamethasone cortisol values. The findings may suggest that increased Il-6 activity in severe depression is related to hypotransferrinemia, hyperhaptoglobinemia, and hyperactivity of the HPA axis.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 11-27 |
Number of pages | 17 |
Journal | Psychiatry Research |
Volume | 49 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 1993 |
Funding
Acknowledgment. The research reported was supported in part by U.S. Public Health Service grant MH-41684, GCRC MOlRR00080, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and grants from the Elisabeth Severance Prentiss and John Pascal Sawyer Foundations. H.Y.M. is the recipient of a U.S. Public Health Service Research Career Scientist Award MH-47808. The secretarial assistanceo f Mrs. M. Maes and Ms. L. Mason is greatly appreciated.
Keywords
- Depression
- dexamethasone suppression test
- haptoglobin
- immunology
- interleukins
- transferrin
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Biological Psychiatry