Low IL‐8 is associated with anxiety in suicidal patients: genetic variation and decreased protein levels. (24th September 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Janelidze, S.; Suchankova, P.; Ekman, A.; Erhardt, S.; Sellgren, C.; Samuelsson, M.; Westrin, A.; Minthon, L.; Hansson, O.; Träskman‐Bendz, L.; Brundin, L.
• Is Part Of: Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica. Volume 131:Number 4(2015:Apr.)
• Page Start: 269
• Page End: 278
• Publication Date: 2014-09-24
• Subjects: Psychiatry -- Periodicals; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1111/acps.12339
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0001-690X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="acps12339-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="acps12339-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Objective</title> <p>Recent studies indicate that inflammation may play a role in the pathophysiology of suicidality. Interleukin‐8 (IL‐8) is a chemokine that in addition to its function in the immune system also exert neuroprotective properties. The involvement of this chemokine in neuropsychiatric conditions is incompletely known.</p> </sec> <sec id="acps12339-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Method</title> <p>We measured plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) IL‐8, as well as the genotype frequency of a single nucleotide polymorphism (‐251A/T, rs4073) in the promoter region of the <italic>IL8</italic> gene, in suicide attempters (<italic>n</italic> = 206) and healthy controls (<italic>n</italic> = 578).</p> </sec> <sec id="acps12339-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Plasma and CSF levels of IL‐8 were significantly lower in suicide attempters with anxiety than in healthy controls. IL‐8 in both plasma and CSF correlated negatively with symptoms of anxiety. Compared with the population‐based cohort, the <italic>IL‐8</italic>‐251T allele was more prevalent among female suicide attempters. Furthermore, suicide attempters carrying this allele showed more severe anxiety. This correlative study warrants further mechanistic studies on the effects of IL‐8 in the central nervous system.</p> </sec> <sec id="acps12339-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusion</title> <p>We suggest that IL‐8 might be involved in the biological mechanisms mediating resilience to anxiety. Thus, our findings highlight the chemokine IL‐8 as a potential target for future development of anti‐anxiety treatments and suicide prevention.</p> </sec> </abstract>