INCREASED LEVELS OF CD8-PATIENTS( AND CD4+45RA+ LYMPHOCYTES IN SCHIZOPHRENIC)

Peripheral blood (PB) lymphocyte subpopulations, IgG, IgM, IgA and IgE serum immunoglobulins and C3 and C4 complement fractions were evaluat ed in 29 schizophrenic patients, 31 of their relatives and 20 healthy subjects. The patients fulfilled DSM-III criteria for schizophrenia, a nd were unmedicated for 3 months prior to the PB sample collection. Wh en compared to healthy controls and their own relatives, the schizophr enic patients showed a lower level of CD4+ cells, while the CD4+45RA(naive) subset was significantly higher. Conversely, the number of CD4 +45RA- (memory) lymphocytes was significantly lower in schizophrenic p atients in comparison to their relatives and controls, while the CD8supressor/cytotoxic T-cell percentage was significantly higher. No sig nificant differences were observed for the IgG, IgM, IgA, IEE and C3 a nd C4 complement fraction levels among the three groups. The present d ata confirm the presence of immunological abnormalities in schizophren ic patients and suggest a possible role of environmental factors in th e triggering of an autoimmune pathogenic mechanism. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.