Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Isolation of Exosomes from the Plasma of HIV-1 Positive Individuals
Published on: January 5, 2016
Plasma soluble interleukin-2-receptor in depression: relationships to plasma neopterin and serum IL-2 concentrations
1University Department of Psychiatry, AZ Stuivenberg, 267 Lange Beeldekensstraat, 2060 Antwerp, Belgium; Departments of Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Antwerp, Belgium; Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Abstract:
The present study examined the plasma concentration of the soluble interleukin-2-receptor (sIL-2R) in depressed subjects in relation to hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis function and plasma neopterin and serum IL-2 concentrations. Plasma sIL-2R concentration was significantly higher in depressed patients (n = 47) than in controls (n = 19). There were no significant correlations between plasma sIL-2R and severity of illness. In the depressed subjects, there was a highly significant relationship between plasma sIL-2R and neopterin concentrations. Depressed patients with pathologically increased plasma neopterin levels had significantly higher plasma sIL-2R values than those with normal serum neopterin. There were no significant relationships between plasma sIL-2R and indices of HPA-axis function in depression. There was no significant effect of dexamethasone administration on sIL-2R levels. Significantly more depressed subjects had measurable serum IL-2 levels than normal controls. Our data support the notion that a moderate activation of cell-mediated immunity may play a role in the pathophysiology of depression.
Related Concept Videos
G-protein Coupled Receptors
T Cell Types and Functions
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
Depression: Overview
Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis