title: Altered serum levels of interleukin-3 in first-episode drug-naive and chronic medicated schizophrenia.
abstract: Elevated serum levels of Interleukin-3 (IL-3), a major component of the cytokines, have been observed in chronic and medicated patients with schizophrenia, but this elevation may reflect either or both medication and illness chronicity effects. Thus, we compared serum IL-3 levels in first-episode drug-naive (FEDN) to chronic medicated patients with schizophrenia and examined the association of IL-3 with their psychopathological symptoms. Serum IL-3 levels were assessed in 55 FEDN patients, 52 chronic medicated patients and 43 healthy controls. Schizophrenia symptomatology was assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Serum IL-3 levels were measured by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We found significantly lower IL-3 levels in FEDN patients than both chronic patients and healthy controls (both p<0.001), while IL-3 levels in chronic patients were markedly higher than in healthy controls. No significant association was observed between IL-3 and any clinical psychopathology in FEDN patients; however, we found a significant correlation between serum IL-3 levels and the PANSS general psychopathology subscore in chronic medicated patients (p<0.05). Decreased IL-3 levels in FEDN patients suggest that suppressed immune function may be associated with developing schizophrenia, but as the disease progresses IL-3 levels increase perhaps related to medication treatment or other factors that occur during chronic illness.
authors.affiliation: Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Yin Yang
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Lucheng Psychiatric Hospital, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Tong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China; Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Mei Hong
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Xiu
authors.affiliation: Kangning Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI), Australia.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Long Tan
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.affiliation: Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Da Chun
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Shu Ping
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Jair C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.affiliation: Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: tangwj011@163.com.
authors.forename: Wen Jie
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA. Electronic address: zhangxy9@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Xiang Yang
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; C508596:IL3 protein, human; D007377:Interleukin-3
keywords: Cytokines; Immune; Interleukin-3; Psychopathology; Schizophrenia