title: Antipsychotics can modulate the cytokine profile in schizophrenia: attenuation of the type-2 inflammatory response.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We recently reported that the type-2 cytokine response is increased in schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of antipsychotic drugs on the serum levels of type-1 (TNF-α, IFN-γ), type-2 (IL-4, IL-10), type-17 (IL-17) and regulatory cytokines (TGF-β, IL-27 and IL-6).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cytokine measurements in the patients were performed on day 0 and day 30 of the treatment using standard ELISA assays. Three groups of subjects were studied: patients that were unmedicated with First Episode Psychosis (FEP; n=88), patients that were treated with antipsychotics with Schizophrenia in relapse (SC in relapse; n=45) and healthy controls (n=36).
  
  
  RESULTS
  TGF-β levels were increased in both patient groups and were further enhanced after treatment in the FEP group (p=0.014) but not in the SC relapse group. Antipsychotic treatment was correlated with lower levels of IL-4, IL-6 and IL-27 (p<0.005) in the FEP group. Finally, the serum levels of IL-17 were not significantly altered between the two measurements but were significantly lower in the FEP group (p<0.001) when compared with healthy controls. After therapy, patients with SC who were in relapse had decreased serum levels of IL-4 (p=0.006) and IL-6 (p=0.007). We also observed a weak negative correlation between the IFN-γ/TGF-β ratio and the total PANSS score and between the IL-17/TGF-β ratio and the negative and general psychopathology subscales.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increased type-2 cytokine serum levels in schizophrenia appear to be downregulated by antipsychotic treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia. Electronic address: milicaborovcanin@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Milica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borovcanin
authors.affiliation: Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jovanovic
authors.affiliation: Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
authors.forename: Gordana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Radosavljevic
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
authors.forename: Slavica
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Djukic Dejanovic
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Mental Disorders "Dr Laza Lazarevic", Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stefanovic
authors.affiliation: Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
authors.forename: Nebojsa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Arsenijevic
authors.affiliation: Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
authors.forename: Miodrag L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lukic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D016207:Cytokines