title: The role of macrophages in anti-inflammatory activity of antidepressant drugs.
abstract: Depression is a common disease influencing patients' quality of life, whose etiology involves complex interactions of environmental, genetic and immunological factors. The latter factors include proinflammatory activation of monocytes and macrophages and increased serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines, altogether formulated as the "macrophage theory of depression". Our current review summarizes the impact of the most commonly used antidepressant drugs on the immune response with special emphasis on the role of macrophages in the clinically observed effects. The anti-inflammatory action of antidepressants mainly results from their direct interaction with immune cells and from changes in the concentration and the relations of neurotransmitters sensed by these cells. The summarized data revealed that Mφs are one of the leading cell populations involved in drug-mediated immune effects that can be observed both in subjects with depression as well as in individuals not suffering from depression. Thus, currently reviewed immunomodulatory effects of the experimental use of different antidepressant drugs suggest the possibility of utilizing them in complex therapeutic strategies dedicated to various inflammatory and immune-mediated diseases. It is worth noting that an excessive inflammatory reaction is also associated with the pathogenesis of various cardiovascular, metabolic and neuro-endocrine diseases. Thus, the inclusion of antidepressants in the complex therapy of these disorders may have beneficial effects through the enhancement of the mood of the patient and alleviation of chronic inflammation. On the other hand, presented data suggest that the influence of chronically used antidepressants on anti-microbial and anti-tumor immunity could also be taken into consideration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 18 Czysta St, PL 31-121 Krakow, Poland. Electronic address: katarzyna.nazimek@uj.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nazimek
authors.affiliation: Students' Scientific Society, Department of Immunology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 18 Czysta St, PL 31-121 Krakow, Poland. Electronic address: spencer.d.strobel@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Spencer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Strobel
authors.affiliation: Students' Scientific Society, Department of Immunology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 18 Czysta St, PL 31-121 Krakow, Poland; Students' Scientific Society, Department of Pain Treatment and Palliative Care, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 10 Sniadeckich St, PL 31-531 Krakow, Poland. Electronic address: pablo.bryniarski@uj.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bryniarski
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 18 Czysta St, PL 31-121 Krakow, Poland; Students' Scientific Society, Department of Pain Treatment and Palliative Care, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 10 Sniadeckich St, PL 31-531 Krakow, Poland. Electronic address: mj.kozlowski@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kozlowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Pain Treatment and Palliative Care, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 10 Sniadeckich St, PL 31-531 Krakow, Poland. Electronic address: i.filipczak-bryniarska@uj.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Iwona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Filipczak-Bryniarska
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 18 Czysta St, PL 31-121 Krakow, Poland. Electronic address: mmbrynia@cyf-kr.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bryniarski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D056747:Immunomodulation; D007249:Inflammation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents
keywords: Antidepressant drugs; Immune regulation; Immune suppression; Macrophages; Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors; Serotonin-norepinephrine re-uptake inhibitors; Tricyclic antidepressant drugs