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Immunophenotypic studies on atypical lymphocytes in psychiatric patients
1Department of Neuropsychiatry, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan.
Psychiatry Research
|April 16, 1998
Summary
Schizophrenia patients exhibit significantly higher blast-type atypical lymphocytes (BTALs) in peripheral blood compared to controls. These BTALs comprise B, T, and non-B, non-T cells, with most expressing HLA-DR and CD38.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Psychiatry
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Blast-type atypical lymphocytes (BTALs) are morphologically distinct cells found in peripheral blood.
- Previous research has not extensively characterized BTAL populations in psychiatric disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the frequency and phenotypic characteristics of BTALs in patients with schizophrenia and mood disorder compared to healthy controls.
- To determine the cell subpopulations and surface antigen expression of BTALs.
Main Methods:
- Phase-contrast microscopy and fluorescent staining techniques were employed.
- Peripheral blood samples from 24 schizophrenia patients, 16 mood disorder patients, and 14 healthy controls were analyzed.
- Immunostaining was used to identify BTAL subpopulations and surface markers.
Main Results:
- Schizophrenia patients showed a significantly higher frequency of BTALs than healthy controls and mood disorder patients.
- A significant difference in BTAL frequency was also observed between mood disorder patients and healthy controls.
- BTALs consisted of B, T, and non-B, non-T cells, with T cells comprising one-third of the population. Most BTALs expressed HLA-DR and CD38, while CD25 was rarely detected.
Conclusions:
- Elevated BTALs in schizophrenia suggest a potential role for these atypical lymphocytes in the pathophysiology of the disorder.
- The phenotypic profile of BTALs, particularly the expression of HLA-DR and CD38, warrants further investigation in psychiatric conditions.
- This study provides the first report on BTAL populations in psychiatric disorders, highlighting differences compared to infectious or autoimmune diseases.