Posttraumatic stress disorder is associated with an enhanced spontaneous production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by peripheral blood mononuclear cells

BMC Psychiatry

Iris-Tatjana Kolassa⁵  Thomas Elbert²  Marcus Groettrup³  Manfred Schedlowski⁴  Stephan Kolassa¹  Hannah Adenauer²  Annette Sommershof³  Harald Engler⁴  Hannah Gola⁵ 

[1] Research & Innovation, Center of Excellence Forecasting & Replenishment, SAP AG, Tägerwilen, Switzerland;Clinical Psychology & Neuropsychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany;Division of Immunology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany;Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Immunobiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany;Clinical & Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology & Education, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 47, 89069, Ulm, Germany

关键词: Inflammation;    Traumatic stress;    Pro-inflammatory cytokines;    Cytokines;    Immune system;    Posttraumatic stress disorder;   

Others  :  1124153
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-244X-13-40

 received in 2012-06-12, accepted in 2013-01-22,  发布年份 2013

【 摘 要 】

Background

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with an enhanced risk for cardiovascular and other inflammatory diseases. Chronic low-level inflammation has been suggested as a potential mechanism linking these conditions.

Methods

We investigated plasma cytokine levels as well as spontaneous and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in a group of 35 severely traumatized PTSD patients compared to 25 healthy controls.

Results

Spontaneous production of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α by isolated PBMCs was significantly higher in the PTSD compared to the control group and even correlated with PTSD symptom severity within the PTSD group. In contrast, circulating plasma levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α, or monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1 were not significantly altered in PTSD patients compared to healthy controls.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that PBMCs of PTSD patients are already pre-activated in vivo, providing further evidence for low-grade inflammation in PTSD. This might possibly represent one psychobiological pathway from PTSD to poor physical health.

【 授权许可】

   
2013 Gola et al.; lincensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

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