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Acute effects of low-dose interferon- on serum cortisol and plasma interleukin-6.
Acute effects of low-dose interferon- on serum cortisol and plasma interleukin-6.
- Source :
- Journal of Psychopharmacology; Sep2002, Vol. 16 Issue 3, p230, 5p
- Publication Year :
- 2002
-
Abstract
- Major depression is associated with both hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis overactivity and immune system activation. Depression is a common occurrence following interferon (IFN)-? treatment. While IFN-? is known to stimulate the HPA axis, little is known about the effects of exogenous IFN-? in humans on the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-6, a marker of immune system activation. This study examined the acute effects of IFN-? on cortisol and IL-6 release, and the time course of any changes in these variables. Serum cortisol and plasma IL-6 were assessed in healthy volunteers over an 8-h period following 3 million units subcutaneous IFN-? or placebo using a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design. IFN-? resulted in a significant increase in both cortisol and IL-6. Regular sampling over 8 h did not delineate any sequential effect of the rise in these variables over time. We conclude that IFN-? acutely stimulates both the HPA axis and proinflammatory cytokine release. The hypothesis that the effect of IFN-? on the HPA axis is indirect and mediated by IL-6 was not supported by this study. Our findings are nonetheless of relevance to the aetiology of depression following IFN-?. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- INTERFERONS
CYTOKINES
MENTAL depression
HYDROCORTISONE
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 02698811
- Volume :
- 16
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Psychopharmacology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 8700491
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1177/026988110201600307