Investigations of cytokine production in whole blood cultures of paranoid and residual schizophrenic patients (original) (raw)

Abstract

In an attempt to define potential immunological dysfunctions in schizophrenia, we determined the production of interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and soluble IL-2 receptor (sIL-2R) in a whole-blood assay after stimulation with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) as well as the serum concentrations of sIL-2R. Because CD4 +CD45RO+T cells are the main producers of IFN-γ, we determined the percentage of these cells, as well as of pan T, CD4+T, and CD8+T cells, by flow cytometry. A whole-blood count was performed in addition. Two groups of patients were examined, paranoid-type and residual-type schizophrenics. The numbers of both monocytes and neutrophils, but not of lymphocytes, were increased significantly in the schizophrenic sample. The IFN-γ production of the schizophrenics as a whole group, and of the paranoid patients, was reduced significantly in comparison with the control group (_p_≤0.05). The residual patients produced less IFN-γ than the controls, but more than the paranoid patients. The latter differences did not reach statistical significance. The production of IL-4, which physiologically antagonizes the production of IFN-γ, was not significantly higher in the patient group. No changes in the lymphocyte subpopulations were observed. The production of IL-2 showed a trend toward reduction in paranoid patients, but not in residual schizophrenics. The serum sIL-2R levels were elevated slightly in schizophrenics when compared with controls. In order to rule out a possible effect of cortisol on cytokine production, 20 schizophrenic were compared with 20 age- and gendermatched controls. However, neither elevated cortisol levels were detected in the schizophrenic sample, nor significant intercorrelations between cortisol levels and cytokine production, or levels of sIL-2R, respectively. In summary, our data reinforce the possibility of immune dysfunction in schizophrenia and point to the possible relevance of disease subgroups in this respect.

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Authors and Affiliations

1. Institute of Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, University of Lübeck School of Medicine, Ratzeburger Allee 160, D-23 538, Lübeck, Germany
   I. Wilke, M. Rothermundt, Ch. Weitzsch, M. Hornberg & H. Kirchner
2. Department of Psychiatry, University of Lübeck School of Medicine, Ratzeburger Allee 160, D-23538, Lübeck, Germany
   I. Wilke, V. Arolt, Ch. Weitzsch & M. Hornberg

Authors

1. I. Wilke
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2. V. Arolt
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3. M. Rothermundt
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4. Ch. Weitzsch
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5. M. Hornberg
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6. H. Kirchner
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Wilke, I., Arolt, V., Rothermundt, M. et al. Investigations of cytokine production in whole blood cultures of paranoid and residual schizophrenic patients.Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Nuerosci 246, 279–284 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02190280

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• Received: 15 May 1995
• Accepted: 10 May 1996
• Issue Date: August 1996
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02190280

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