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Plasma Levels of Tumor Necrosis Factor Superfamily Molecules Are Increased in Bipolar Disorder
Izabela G Barbosa1, Gabriela Neves Vaz1, Natalia Pessoa Rocha1,2
1Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Investigação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Objective:
Patients with bipolar disorder (BD) exhibit peripheral low-grade inflammation. The aim of the current study was to investigate the involvement of hitherto unexplored components of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily in BD.
Methods:
Eighty patients with type I BD and 50 healthy controls matched for age and gender were enrolled in this study. All subjects were assessed with the Mini-Plus to evaluate psychiatric comorbidities; the Young Mania Rating Scale and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale to evaluate manic and depressive symptoms severity, respectively. TNF superfamily molecules (TNF, TNF-related weak inducer of apoptosis [TWEAK], TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand [TRAIL], soluble TNF receptor type 1 [sTNFR1], and soluble TNF receptor type 2 [sTNFR2]) levels were measured by ELISA.
Results:
Patients with BD, regardless of mood state, presented increased plasma levels of sTNFR1 and TWEAK in comparison with controls.
Conclusion:
These findings corroborate the view that TNF superfamily may play a role in BD pathophysiology.
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