Interleukin-6 and the soluble IL-6 receptor are decreased in cerebrospinalfluid of geriatric patients with major depression: no alteration of soluble gp130

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is hypothesized to play an important role in the inter action between immune mechanisms and the central nervous system. We investi gated whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL -6), the soluble (IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R) and the soluble form of the signal transducing and affinity converting receptor gp130 (sgp130) are altered in geriatric patients with major depression (MD). In 20 geriatric patients wi th MD and 20 age-matched healthy control subjects CSF concentrations of the three components of the sIL-6R complex were analyzed by enzyme-linked immu nosorbent assays (ELISA). Ail patients except one were treated with psychot ropic drugs. We found statistically significant decreased CSF concentration s of IL-6 (P < 0.001) and of the sIL-6R (P < 0.001) of patients with MD. Le vels of sgp130 showed no statistically significant difference between patie nts and controls. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science ireland Ltd. All rights reserve d.