Pro- and Anti-Inflammatory Cytokine Profiles in Young Adults With Major Depressive Disorder
Keywords:
Major depressive disorder, inflammation, cytokines, interleukin-6, interferon- γ, interleukin-10Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common psychiatric disorder associated with immune dysregulation and chronic low-grade inflammation. However, simultaneous alterations of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in young adults with MDD remain incompletely characterized. This study investigated serum levels and detectability of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in young adults with MDD and healthy controls (HC). A total of 135 participants aged 18–30 years, including 22 patients with MDD and 113 HC, were enrolled. Demographic characteristics, body mass index and white blood cell counts were assessed. Serum cytokines were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. All three cytokines were detectable in significantly higher proportions of patients with MDD than HC (IL-6, 59.1% vs. 10.6%, p < 0.0001; IFN-γ, 81.8% vs. 57.5%, p = 0.0339; IL-10, 100% vs. 83.2%, p = 0.0422). Among participants with detectable cytokines, IFN-γ and IL-10 concentrations were significantly higher in the MDD group (p = 0.0002 and p = 0.0048, respectively), whereas IL-6 concentrations did not differ (p = 0.5033). IL-10 correlated positively with IFN-γ (Spearman r = 0.3101, p = 0.0064), but not IL-6 (r = 0.2983, p = 0.1569). These findings indicate differential cytokine alterations consistent with systemic immune dysregulation in MDD. However, the cross-sectional design and small MDD group limit interpretation and do not establish causality or biomarker status. Larger longitudinal studies incorporating disease severity and treatment outcomes are warranted to determine the clinical relevance and potential biomarker utility of these cytokine alterations.
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