A DIFFERENTIAL ROLE FOR INTERLEUKIN-6 AND TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR-ALPHAIN SCHIZOPHRENIA

Pro-inflammatory cytokines are dysregulated in schizophrenia. To deter mine the nature of the so-called inflammatory syndrome in schizophreni a, we investigated the circulating levels of various cytokines (interl eukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)alpha), their natu ral antagonists (IL1-ra, TNF-RI, TNF-RII) and leukocyte activation mar kers (the soluble receptor of interleukin-2, soluble CD14 and soluble (CD23) in subjects with chronic schizophrenia (n = 18) and in normal c ontrols (n=21). The levels of IL-1 beta and its antagonist and the lev els of leukocyte activation markers were not significantly differents between patients and controls. Circulating levels of TNF alpha were si gnificantly (p < 0.05) higher in patients than in controls and did not result from variations of its antagonist levels. The significant (p<0 .05) increase in patient IL-6 was related specifically to clinical sta tus, i.e. illness duration. These data suggest a specific cytokine-med iated syndrome in schizophrenia. We hypothesize thar TNF alpha and IL- 6 reflect the genetic background of disease suceptibility. (C) 1997 El sevier Science B.V.