Elevated interleukin-18 serum levels in chronic schizophrenia: Association with psychopathology.
BACKGROUND
Schizophrenia is associated with various abnormalities in the immune system including elevated levels of Interleukin-18 (IL-18), a potent inflammatory cytokine in T-helper 1 (Th1) responses. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical significance of serum IL-18 levels in various stages of schizophrenia.


METHODS
We measured serum IL-18 levels using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) from 78 never-medicated first-episode schizophrenia, 79 medicated chronic schizophrenia and 78 healthy control subjects. The symptoms of schizophrenia were assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS).


RESULTS
The chronic patients had significantly greater serum IL-18 levels than both first-episode patients and controls. Serum IL-18 was also positively correlated with the PANSS general psychopathology subscore in chronic schizophrenic patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results showed elevated IL-18 pathway activity may be involved in the psychopathology of schizophrenia.
Psychiatry Research Center, Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Mei Hong
MH
Xiu
Da Chun
DC
Chen
Dong
D
Wang
Kui
K
Zhang
AiLing
A
Dong
Wei
W
Tang
Feixue
F
Zhang
Lian Jing
LJ
Liu
Jia Hong
JH
Liu
Hai Bo
HB
Liu
Fu De
FD
Yang
Thomas R
TR
Kosten
Xiang Yang
XY
Zhang
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D055815:Young Adult
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D020382:Interleukin-18