45. Examining differences in serum pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine profiles across behavioral and physical health in healthy adolescent girls

Abstract

This secondary analysis examined pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine profiles in healthy adolescent girls to determine whether cytokines vary by behavioral and physical health. Participants ( N = 262) were enrolled in a cohort-sequential study (age groups: 11, 13, 15 and 17 years). We examined mean differences in pro-inflammatory [Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-8, and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α)] and anti-inflammatory [IL-4, IL-10, IL-13, IL-5] cytokines across categories of depressive symptoms (Low: Bottom 75%; High: Top 25%), smoking (Non-smokers, Infrequent, Current), and Body Mass Index (normal weight, overweight, obese). Analysis of variance indicated that girls with high depressive symptoms had elevated pro-inflammatory profiles (IFN-γ and IL-6) compared to girls with low symptoms. Non-smokers had higher IL-8 compared to Infrequent or Current smokers. Overweight girls had lower IL-8 compared to normal weight or obese girls. For anti-inflammatory cytokines, girls with low depressive symptoms had higher IL-4 and IL-13 compared to girls with high symptoms. Non-smokers had higher IL-4, IL-10 and IL-5 than Infrequent or Current smokers, and higher IL-13 than Current smokers. Normal weight girls had higher IL-4 compared to obese and overweight girls; overweight girls had higher IL-13 than obese girls. Cytokines, regarded as key regulators of immune functioning, are rarely examined in healthy adolescents. This study illuminates how behavioral and physical health may alter both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine profiles in healthy adolescent girls.