title: Interleukin-18 and CD30 serum levels in patients with moderate-severe depression.
abstract: Interleukin-18 (IL-18), a pro-inflammatory cytokine that plays an important role in the T-cell-helper type 1 response, is a new member of the family of cytokines produced in the brain. CD30 is a marker of T-cell-helper type 2 lymphocytes. We evaluated IL-18 and CD30 serum levels in 10 patients affected by moderate-severe depression (MSD). We demonstrated for the first time that serum IL-18 levels of MSD patients were significantly higher than those of healthy donors. On the contrary, no significant difference was found between serum CD30 levels of MSD patients compared with those of healthy donors. These data strengthen the hypothesis that MSD disease is associated with an inflammatory response, mainly T-cell-helper type 1, and suggest an important role for IL-18 in the pathophysiology of MSD.
authors.affiliation: Chair of Immunopathology, Department of Human Pathology, University of Messina Medical School, University Hospital G. Martino, 98125 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosaria Alba
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Merendino
authors.forename: Antonio Enrico
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Di Rosa
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Pasquale
authors.forename: Paola Lucia
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Minciullo
authors.forename: Carmela
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mangraviti
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Costantino
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruello
authors.forename: Sebastiano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gangemi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D020382:Interleukin-18; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen