SCD14, a marker of immune-inflammation can help to distinguish between psychotic disorders with and without disordered social interaction

Abstract

Social interaction difficulties and loneliness as well as activation of immunological pathways and a status of low-grade immune-inflammation are thought to be associated with psychotic disorders. So far, a single biomarker that indicates disordered social interaction as part of psychotic disorders and immune-inflammation has yet to found but could be clinically useful. If low-grade immune-inflammation is a contributor to psychotic disorders, it raises the question where exactly, when and why it begins to negatively impact the human body? Deviant gut microbiota have been discussed in this context. Here, stress resulting from disordered social interaction may contribute to the disruption of the intestinal barrier. Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from bacteria can enter the body leading to an activation of monocytes – among others – via the cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14) and further influencing central nervous structures. CD14 can be released by monocytes upon activation as a soluble form (sCD14). We hypothesize that sCD14 could be a useful biomarker to evaluate the consequences of disordered social interaction in psychotic patients including low-grade immune-inflammation via the gut-brain axis. This could be performed using an analysis of gut microbiota, flow cytometry and proteome analysis of blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and cerebral Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) together with further systematic evaluations of social behavior.