The Correlation between Cytokines and Depressive State in General Aged Population: The Imari Study

以往的研究表明，促炎症细胞因子及其可溶性受体或受体拮抗剂参与了抑郁症的发病机制。然而，目前尚不清楚促炎症细胞因子的激活分泌是否是抑郁症的原因之一或影响因素之一。我们在此报告了一般老年人群中细胞因子与抑郁状态的相关性。研究对象为居住在日本佐贺市伊马里市黑川地区的99名受试者，其中男24人，女75人。测定血浆白介素1β、白介素2、白介素6、肿瘤坏死因子α、可溶性白介素2受体、白介素6R等6种细胞因子的浓度。采用Beck抑郁量表第二版(BDI-II)评定受试者的抑郁状态。IL-1水平与BDI-II评分呈显著正相关(p=0.027，p=0.222)，其余5种细胞因子水平与BDI-II评分无相关性。提示IL-1参与了起病前抑郁障碍的发病机制。

Previous studies have been suggested that proinflammatory cytokines and their soluble receptors or receptor antagonists are involved in the etiopathogenesis of depressive disorders. However, it is not clear whether or not the activated secretion of proinflammatory cytokines in one of the causes or one of the effects of depressive disorders. We herein report that the correlation between cytokines and depressive state in general aged population. Ninety-nine (24 men and 75 women) subjects who lived in Kurokawa Region, Imari City, Saga, Japan, were participated in the present study. We measured plasma concentrations of six cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α, soluble IL-2 receptor (sIL-2R) and sIL-6R. We evaluated depressive state of the subjects with Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II). IL-1 levels were significantly correlated with the scores of BDI-II (p = 0.027, p = 0.222), whereas the other five cytokine levels were not correlated. These findings suggested that IL-1 is involved in the pathogenesis of pre-onset depressive disorders.