Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the less known activation pattern of T lymphocyte populations and immune checkpoint inhibitors on immunocytes in patients with bipolar II disorder depression (BD) or major depression (MD). A total of 23 patients with BD, 22 patients with MD, and 20 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. The blood cell count of T lymphocyte subsets and the plasma level of cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and IFN-γ) were selectively investigated. The expression of T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing-3 (TIM-3), programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and its ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2, on T lymphocytes and monocytes, was detected. In results, blood proportion of cytotoxic T cells significantly decreased in BD patients than in either MD patients or HCs. The plasma level of IL-6 increased in patients with BD and MD. The expression of TIM-3 on cytotoxic T cells significantly increased, whereas the expression of PD-L2 on monocytes significantly decreased in patients with BD than in HCs. These findings extended our knowledge of the immune dysfunction in patients with affective disorders.
Highlights
Mounting evidence of immune imbalance in affective disorders has sprung up in recent decades, pointing to a role of inflammatory burden in affected patients[1,2]
The age of onset was significantly smaller in patients with bipolar II disorder depression (BD) patients than in patients with major depression (MD) (22.43 ± 4.50 vs. 29.95 ± 7.79, P < 0.001)
No significant difference was found in the percentages of CD3+and CD4 +T cells and CD16 +natural killer (NK) cells in total lymphocyte populations (Table 2)
Summary
Mounting evidence of immune imbalance in affective disorders has sprung up in recent decades, pointing to a role of inflammatory burden in affected patients[1,2]. T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing-3 (TIM-3), known as an inhibitory regulator molecule, may regulate macrophage activation and cytokine production[14]. No literature has reported the possible role of these immune checkpoints in the inflammatory challenge in patients with affective disorders hitherto, and their relationship with known blood level change of cytokines. This preliminary study investigated the plasma levels of cytokines, proportion of T lymphocytes, and the expression of immune checkpoint inhibitors, including TIM-3, PD-1, PD-L1 and PD-L2, on T lymphocytes and monocytes, in patients with affective disorders
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