title: Immune alterations in acute bipolar depression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Immunologic abnormalities have been found in bipolar disorder and acute mania. However, there have been fewer studies of patients with acute bipolar depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples were obtained from individuals with acute bipolar depression, acute mania, and controls. These samples were evaluated for antibodies to human herpesviruses, gliadin, Toxoplasma gondii, and endogenous retroviruses as well as for C-reactive protein (CRP) and pentraxin-3 using immunoassay methods. Linear regression models were used to compare the levels of the markers controlling for demographic and clinical variables. A subset of the bipolar depressed group was evaluated at a 6-month follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sample consisted of 82 individuals with acute bipolar depression, 147 with acute mania, and 280 controls. The levels of CRP and IgG antibodies to an endogenous retrovirus, Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (MPMV), were significantly elevated in the bipolar depressed group. Levels of pentraxin-3 were reduced in both psychiatric groups. An evaluation of 32 individuals 6 months after hospitalization for bipolar depression showed a significant decrease in the levels of MPMV antibodies, but not a change in the other markers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Individuals with acute bipolar depression show immune alterations. Some of the alterations are similar to those found in acute mania.
authors.affiliation: Stanley Research Program, Sheppard Pratt Health System, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dickerson
authors.affiliation: Stanley Research Program, Sheppard Pratt Health System, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Katsafanas
authors.affiliation: Stanley Research Program, Sheppard Pratt Health System, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: L A B
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Schweinfurth
authors.affiliation: Stanley Research Program, Sheppard Pratt Health System, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: C L G
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Savage
authors.affiliation: Stanley Research Program, Sheppard Pratt Health System, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stallings
authors.affiliation: Stanley Research Program, Sheppard Pratt Health System, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Origoni
authors.affiliation: Stanley Research Program, Sheppard Pratt Health System, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khushalani
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lillehoj
authors.affiliation: Stanley Neurovirology Laboratory, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yolken
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000821:virology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component / Q000276:immunology; D000099153:Pentraxins
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component; D000099153:Pentraxins
keywords: bipolar disorder; depression; neuroimmunology