Cytokine Profile in Drug-naive, First Episode Patients with Psychosis
Poster A98, Thursday, October 20, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm, Le Baron
Petros Petrikis1, Paraskevi Voulgari1, Alexandros Tzallas2, Dimitra Archimandriti1, Petros Skapinakis1, Venetsanos Mavreas1; 1School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Greece, 2Department of Computer Engeneering, School of Applied Technology, Technological Educational Institute of Epirus, Arta, Greece
Schizophrenia is a chronic disease with poor prognosis. Among factors that are possibly implicated in the pathogenesis of the disorder have been suggested viral infections and immune-related disorders. Objective: An increasing body of evidence suggests that immunological changes may play a role in schizophrenia but the results of the studies are controversial and little in known about the presence of those changes at the onset of the disease. Our aim is to compare the levels of interleukin(IL) IL-2,IL-6 IL-10, IL-17 and transforming growth factor- β(TGF-β2) between drug-naïve-first episode patients with psychosis and healthy controls matched for age, sex, BMI and smoking. Methods: Thirty-nine drug-naïve-first episode patients with psychosis and 39 healthy individuals (control group) were enrolled in the study. Serum levels ofIL-2,IL-6, IL-10, IL-17 and TGF-β2 were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Serum IL-2 andIL-6 levels were significantly higher in the patient group (p<0.022 and p<0.002 respectively) compared to healthy controls. No differences were found in the levels of IL-10, IL-17.The levels of TGF-β2 did not differ significantly between the two groups. Conclusion: The serum levels of IL-2 and IL-6 are increased in drug-naïve first episode patients with psychosis compared to healthy controls. An inflammatory response mediated by IL-2 and IL-6 may play a role in schizophrenia.
Topic Area: First Episode Psychosis