Carmen Schiweck1, Mireia Valles-Colomer2, Volker Arolt3, Norbert Müller4, Jeroen Raes5, Annemarie Wijkhuijs6, Stephan Claes7, Hemmo Drexhage6, Elske Vrieze7. 1. Department of Neurosciences, Psychiatry Research Group KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: carmen.schiweck@kuleuven.be. 2. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. 3. Departments of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität WWU, Münster, Germany. 4. Departments of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig Maximilians-Universität LMU, Munich, Germany. 5. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Center for Microbiology, Leuven, Belgium. 6. Department of Immunology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. 7. Department of Neurosciences, Psychiatry Research Group KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Previous research has demonstrated a strong link between immune system abnormalities and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). High suicide risk is a major complication of MDD and has recently been linked to strong (neuro-)immune alterations, but little is known on the link between circulating immune cell composition and suicidal risk status. METHODS: Here, we assessed percentages of circulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells with focus on T helper cell subsets (memory T helper cells, Th1, Th2, Th17 and T regulatory cells) in a large and well-matched cohort of 153 patients diagnosed with MDD and 153 age and sex matched controls. We explored the association of these cell populations with suicide risk while accounting for age, sex, BMI, depression severity and childhood trauma. RESULTS: Patients with MDD had reduced percentages of NK cells, and higher percentages of B and T cells in line with current literature. Further exploration of T-cells revealed a robustly elevated number of memory T helper cells, regardless of age group. Patients at high risk for suicide had the highest memory T helper cells and additionally showed a robust increase of Th17 cells compared to other suicide risk groups. CONCLUSIONS: The higher abundance of memory T helper cells points towards premature aging of the immune system in MDD patients, even during young adulthood. Patients at high risk for suicide show the clearest immune abnormalities and may represent a clinically relevant subtype of depression.
BACKGROUND: Previous research has demonstrated a strong link between immune system abnormalities and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). High suicide risk is a major complication of MDD and has recently been linked to strong (neuro-)immune alterations, but little is known on the link between circulating immune cell composition and suicidal risk status. METHODS: Here, we assessed percentages of circulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells with focus on T helper cell subsets (memory T helper cells, Th1, Th2, Th17 and T regulatory cells) in a large and well-matched cohort of 153 patients diagnosed with MDD and 153 age and sex matched controls. We explored the association of these cell populations with suicide risk while accounting for age, sex, BMI, depression severity and childhood trauma. RESULTS:Patients with MDD had reduced percentages of NK cells, and higher percentages of B and T cells in line with current literature. Further exploration of T-cells revealed a robustly elevated number of memory T helper cells, regardless of age group. Patients at high risk for suicide had the highest memory T helper cells and additionally showed a robust increase of Th17 cells compared to other suicide risk groups. CONCLUSIONS: The higher abundance of memory T helper cells points towards premature aging of the immune system in MDDpatients, even during young adulthood. Patients at high risk for suicide show the clearest immune abnormalities and may represent a clinically relevant subtype of depression.
Authors: Eva M Medina-Rodriguez; Derik Madorma; Gregory O'Connor; Brittany L Mason; Dongmei Han; Sapna K Deo; Mark Oppenheimer; Charles B Nemeroff; Madhukar H Trivedi; Sylvia Daunert; Eléonore Beurel Journal: Am J Psychiatry Date: 2020-07-31 Impact factor: 18.112
Authors: H H Stassen; S Bachmann; R Bridler; K Cattapan; D Herzig; A Schneeberger; E Seifritz Journal: Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci Date: 2020-07-21 Impact factor: 5.270
Authors: Miguel Angel Alvarez-Mon; Ana Maria Gómez-Lahoz; Arancha Orozco; Guillermo Lahera; David Diaz; Miguel A Ortega; Agustin Albillos; Javier Quintero; Enrique Aubá; Jorge Monserrat; Melchor Alvarez-Mon Journal: J Pers Med Date: 2021-03-19