The links between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and comorbid depressive symptoms: role of IL-2 and IFN-γ

• Published in: Clinical and experimental medicine 2016-11, Vol.16 (4), p.493-502
• Main Authors: Rybka, Joanna, Korte, S. Mechiel, Czajkowska-Malinowska, Małgorzata, Wiese, Małgorzata, Kędziora-Kornatowska, Kornelia, Kędziora, Józef
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Comorbidity; Depression - immunology; Female; Gene Expression Regulation; Hematology; Humans; Interferon-gamma - metabolism; Interleukin-2 - metabolism; Interleukin-6 - metabolism; Internal Medicine; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Neopterin - metabolism; Oncology; Original; Original Article; Prospective Studies; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - immunology; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - psychology; Th1 Cells - immunology
• ISSN: 1591-8890; 1591-9528
• DOI: 10.1007/s10238-015-0391-0

Depression is highly prevalent in COPD patients, and both diseases are believed to be associated with inflammation. The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of the immune system alterations in pathogenesis of depression in COPD patients. Blood was collected from patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and comorbid depressive symptoms [COPD + DS, ( N  = 13)], from individuals with either COPD ( N  = 16) or recurrent depressive disorder (rDD) alone ( N  = 15), and from healthy controls ( N  = 19). Surface phenotype expression of T regulatory and T effector cells was analyzed with a flow cytometry, and IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IFN-γ, IL-17, and neopterin were detected with ELISA. We demonstrated that COPD, depression, and COPD with comorbid depression are associated with increased IL-6 levels when compared with healthy controls 42.2 ± 1.87, 40.9 ± 2.12, 41.7 ± 1.31, and 33.2 ± 1.23 pg/ml, respectively ( p