Cristiano Noto1,2,3, Michael Maes4,5, Vanessa Kiyomi Ota1, Antônio Lúcio Teixeira6, Rodrigo Affonseca Bressan1,3, Ary Gadelha1,3, Elisa Brietzke1. 1. a LiNC-Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Neuroscience, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) , Brazil. 2. b First Episode Psychosis Program, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo (FCMSCSP) , São Paulo , Brazil. 3. c Programa de Esquizofrenia (PROESQ), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) , Brazil. 4. d Department of Psychiatry , Chulalongkorn University , Bangkok , Thailand. 5. e Health Sciences Graduate Program, Health Sciences Center, State University of Londrina (UEL) , Brazil. 6. f Translational Psychoneuroimmunology Group, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais , Belo Horizonte , Brazil.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Recent schizophrenia (SCZ) research aims to establish biomarkers with high predictive value for the diagnosis, severity of illness or treatment resistance. SCZ is accompanied by activated immune-inflammatory pathways, including increased levels of cytokines and chemokines, but few studies tried to identify predictive properties of such measures. METHODS: We included 54 medicated SCZ patients and 118 healthy controls and examined 15 cytokines and chemokines. Possible associations between these immune-inflammatory biomarkers and the diagnosis of SCZ, severity of illness and treatment resistance were investigated. RESULTS: SCZ is associated with a specific cytokine - chemokine profile, i.e., increased CCL11, MIP-1α, sTNF-R1 and sTNF-R2 levels, and decreased levels of IP-10, TNF-α, IL-2 and IL-4. The combination of five biomarkers (sTNF-R1, sTNF-R2, CCL11, IP-10, IL-4) may predict the diagnosis of SCZ with a sensitivity of 70.0% and a specificity of 89.4%. There was a weak association between the negative symptoms and biomarkers, i.e., IL-2 (inversely) and CCL11 (positively). Patients with treatment resistance showed increased levels of sTNF-R1, sTNF-R2 and MCP-1. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study reinforce that SCZ is associated with a pro-inflammatory profile and suggest that some immune mediators may be used as reliable biomarkers for the diagnosis of SCZ and treatment resistance.
OBJECTIVES: Recent schizophrenia (SCZ) research aims to establish biomarkers with high predictive value for the diagnosis, severity of illness or treatment resistance. SCZ is accompanied by activated immune-inflammatory pathways, including increased levels of cytokines and chemokines, but few studies tried to identify predictive properties of such measures. METHODS: We included 54 medicated SCZ patients and 118 healthy controls and examined 15 cytokines and chemokines. Possible associations between these immune-inflammatory biomarkers and the diagnosis of SCZ, severity of illness and treatment resistance were investigated. RESULTS: SCZ is associated with a specific cytokine - chemokine profile, i.e., increased CCL11, MIP-1α, sTNF-R1 and sTNF-R2 levels, and decreased levels of IP-10, TNF-α, IL-2 and IL-4. The combination of five biomarkers (sTNF-R1, sTNF-R2, CCL11, IP-10, IL-4) may predict the diagnosis of SCZ with a sensitivity of 70.0% and a specificity of 89.4%. There was a weak association between the negative symptoms and biomarkers, i.e., IL-2 (inversely) and CCL11 (positively). Patients with treatment resistance showed increased levels of sTNF-R1, sTNF-R2 and MCP-1. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study reinforce that SCZ is associated with a pro-inflammatory profile and suggest that some immune mediators may be used as reliable biomarkers for the diagnosis of SCZ and treatment resistance.
Authors: David R Goldsmith; Ebrahim Haroon; Andrew H Miller; Gregory P Strauss; Peter F Buckley; Brian J Miller Journal: Schizophr Res Date: 2018-02-28 Impact factor: 4.939
Authors: Abbas F Almulla; Asara Vasupanrajit; Chavit Tunvirachaisakul; Hussein K Al-Hakeim; Marco Solmi; Robert Verkerk; Michael Maes Journal: Mol Psychiatry Date: 2022-04-14 Impact factor: 15.992