title: T-helper types 1, 2, and 3 cytokine interactions in symptomatic manic patients.
abstract: It has been reported that the balance between T-helper type 1 (Th1) cytokines and T-helper type 2 (Th2) cytokines plays a role in psychiatric disorders such as bipolar disorder. The T-helper type 3 (Th3) cytokine, which transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-beta1), has been shown to modulate the production of Th1 and Th2 cytokines. However, the role of TGF-beta1 in bipolar disorder has not yet been explored. A total of 70 manic patients with bipolar disorder and 96 normal controls was recruited. The plasma levels of IFN-gamma, IL-4, and TGF-beta1 were studied at the time of admission and 8 weeks after mood stabilizer treatment. The detection rate and plasma concentrations of IFN-gamma and IL-4 and the IFN-gamma/TGF-beta1 and IL-4/TGF-beta1 ratios were significantly higher in patients than in controls, while the TGF-beta1 level was significantly lower. The TGF-beta1 level increased significantly after treatment and the IFN-gamma/TGF-beta1 and IL-4/TGF-beta1 ratios returned to control values. TGF-beta1 may play a role in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder through the action of TGF-beta1 in modulating the IL-4/TGF-beta1 ratio.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Korea University Ansan Hospital, College of Medicine, 516, Go-Jan Dong, Ansan City, Kyunggi Province, 425-070, Korea. yongku@korea.ac.kr
authors.forename: Yong-Ku
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Aye-Mu
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Myint
authors.forename: Bun-Hee
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chang-Su
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Seung-Whan
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Brian E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Leonard
authors.forename: Harry W M
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Steinbusch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000523:psychology*; D010054:Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma