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Immune disorders in depression: higher T helper/T suppressor‐cytotoxic cell ratio
Author(s) -
Maes M.,
Stevens W.,
DeClerck L.,
Bridts C.,
Peeters D.,
Schotte C.,
Cosyns P.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1992.tb03292.x
Subject(s) - cytotoxic t cell , cd8 , immune system , immunology , t cell , flow cytometry , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , in vitro , biochemistry
This study investigated the leukocyte T helper and T suppressor‐cytotoxic cell (sub)set profile of minor, simple major and melancholic depressives versus normal controls. Using both monoclonal antibody staining and flow cytometry, we determined the absolute numbers and percentages of the following T cell immune subsets: T helper (CD4 + ), T virgin (CD4 + CD45 + ), T memory (CD4 + CD45 ‐ ), T suppressor/cytotoxic (CD8 + ), CD8 + T suppressor (CD8 + CD57 ‐ ) and CD8 + T cytotoxic (CD8 + CD57 + ) cells. After computing the CD4 + /CD8 + ratio, we detected a significantly increased ratio in depressed patients as compared with healthy controls. Depression per se is characterized by a higher percentage of CD4 + and a lower percentage of CD8 + CD57 ‐ cells. Melancholic depressed subjects exhibit a significantly increased number of CD4 + and CD4 + CD45 ‐ cells. The combined use of various percentages of CD4 + and CD8 + (sub)sets yields a high degree of marker positivity for melancholia: through cumulative evaluation of those percentages, the marker positivity increases to 68% (sensitivity) and the specificity is 95%. These results together with our previous reports may refer to a depression‐related state of T cell activation.