title: Pro-inflammatory biomakers in depression: treatment with venlafaxine.
abstract: High levels of pro-inflammatory biomarkers have been reported in depression. In the present study, five pro-inflammatory biomarkers were measured in the blood of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Biomarker levels were compared to age- and sex-matched healthy subjects. Patients with MDD had significantly higher baseline levels of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha, P=0.04), interleukin-1beta (IL1beta, P=0.03), and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1; P=0.02) compared to controls. There were no differences between groups in levels of cell determinant-40 ligand (CD40L) and C-reactive protein (CRP). A subset of the MDD patients consented to undergo treatment with venlafaxine (an SNRI: at lower doses a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor; at higher doses also a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor) for 8 weeks. By week 8, all treatment completers had responded therapeutically. However, levels of TNFalpha, IL1beta, and MCP-1 remained elevated. A concave quadratic equation described the associations between plasma venlafaxine concentrations and IL1beta (P=0.03), TNFalpha (P=0.09), and MCP-1 (P=0.02), suggesting that these biomarkers may have become selectively lowered in the serotonergic dose range of venlafaxine. This is the first report of venlafaxine's possible effect on pro-inflammatory biomarkers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Loyola University Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, USA.
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Piletz
authors.forename: Angelos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Halaris
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Iqbal
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hoppensteadt
authors.forename: Jawed
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fareed
authors.forename: He
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sinacore
authors.forename: C Lindsay
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Devane
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003511:Cyclohexanols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012016:Reference Values; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D003511:Cyclohexanols; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride