title: Impaired T-cell dependent humoral response and its relationship with T lymphocyte sensitivity to stress hormones in a chronic mild stress model of depression.
abstract: The humoral response and the role of catecholamines and corticosterone were analyzed in a chronic mild stress (CMS) model of depression. Mice subjected for more than 6 weeks to CMS showed a significant decrease in T-cell dependent antibody production. However, T-cell independent humoral response was not altered. Serum corticosterone levels and splenic norepinephrine (NE) contents showed an early increase but they were not altered after prolonged CMS exposure. Nevertheless, hormonal inhibitory effect on T lymphocyte reactivity was higher in 6-week CMS mice compared to non-exposed animals. Thus, our results suggest that the impaired T-cell dependent humoral response in a CMS model of depression is neither related to changes in glucocorticoids nor in NE levels but is correlated with an increment of T-cell sensitivity to stress hormones. These findings would underlie the involvement of catecholamines and glucocorticoid lymphocyte receptors in the immune alterations observed in stress and depression.
authors.affiliation: CEFYBO-CONICET, Serrano 669 3rd floor, CP 1414-Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Silberman
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ayelli-Edgar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zorrilla-Zubilete
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Zieher
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Genaro
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000276:immunology*; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood*; D003863:Depression / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D013154:Spleen / Q000378:metabolism; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D003345:Corticosterone; D009638:Norepinephrine