Serum chemokine levels in major depressive disorder.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the role of chemokines of two major chemokine families, CC and CXC, in major depressive disorder (MDD) in a population-based sample.


METHODS
The serum levels of CC chemokines MCP-1 and MIP-1beta, and CXC chemokine IL-8 were measured from 122 participants (MDD group, n=61; controls, n=61). Depression severity was assessed with the 29-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale.


RESULTS
The MDD group had lower levels of MCP-1, MIP-1beta and IL-8 than the healthy controls. The likelihood of major depressive disorder for participants with chemokine levels below the median (MCP-1: < 26.26 pg/mL; MIP-1beta: < 42.57 pg/mL; IL-8: < 2.86 pg/mL) was 3.6 (p=0.002) for MIP-1beta and 2.4 (p=0.037) for IL-8 in regression models adjusted for age, gender, body mass index, smoking, and alcohol consumption. MCP-1 did not associate with the presence of MDD after adjustments for potential confounders. Further adjustments for somatic illnesses or medications did not affect these findings.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that depression-related alterations of inflammatory markers may be more complex than previously assumed, and that at least some of the chemokines may be down-regulated.
Lehto
Soili M
SM
Department of Psychiatry, Kuopio University Hospital and University of Kuopio, 70210 Kuopio, Finland. Soili.Lehto@kuh.fi
Niskanen
Leo
L
Herzig
Karl-Heinz
KH
Tolmunen
Tommi
T
Huotari
Anne
A
Viinamäki
Heimo
H
Koivumaa-Honkanen
Heli
H
Honkalampi
Kirsi
K
Ruotsalainen
Heli
H
Hintikka
Jukka
J
D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D054407:Chemokine CCL4 / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D018925:Chemokines / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D015999:Multivariate Analysis
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; C111835:CCL2 protein, human; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D054407:Chemokine CCL4; D018925:Chemokines; D016209:Interleukin-8