title: Clozapine mobilizes CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells and increases plasma concentration of interleukin 6 in patients with schizophrenia.
abstract: The blood of 8 European patients with schizophrenia without manifest comorbidity was studied whether the classical atypical antipsychotic drug clozapine altered the amount of circulating CD34(+) hematopoietic cells. As assessed by flow cytometry, the number of CD34(+) cells increased by 433% (from 1.49 ± 1.07 × 10(6)/L, mean ± SD pretreatment, to a peak of 6.45 ± 3.47 × 10(6)/L) following first-time therapy with clozapine for 12 weeks. The increase of CD34(+) cell, neutrophil, and leukocyte counts was statistically significant (P = 0.012). A transversal investigation of 23 long-term patients and 58 controls showed elevated neutrophil counts in the clozapine-monotreated group, whereas CD34(+) cell numbers were unaltered. A transversal investigation of 12 clozapine-monotreated long-term patients and 10 controls revealed a 1.3-fold elevation of plasma interleukin 6 levels in patients on clozapine (P = 0.017). In conclusion, clozapine treatment results in an initial mobilization of CD34(+) stem and progenitor cells into the peripheral blood and in a slight long-term elevation of interleukin 6.
authors.affiliation: Neurobiochemical Research Unit, Psychiatric Department, Heinrich-Heine-University of Düsseldorf, Germany. SLoeffler@klinikum-offenbach.de
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Löffler
authors.forename: Ansgar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klimke
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kronenwett
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kobbe
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fehsel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D003024:Clozapine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D015850:Interleukin-6; D003024:Clozapine