Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry

Afew researchers have reported that major depression may be associated with higher levels of positive acute phase proteins(APPs), such as haptoglobin(Hp), α1-antitrypsin(α1AT), ceruloplasmin(Cp) and lower levels of negative APPs(viscerol proteins), such as albumin(Alb) and transferrin(TI). Elevated levels of positive APPs and a drop in negative APPs constitute important indicators of immune activation, This study was designed to investigate whether altered serm concentrations of positive APPs and of negative APPs rellect the state of depression. Twenty potients who fulled DSM-III-R criteria for major depressive disorder and for dysthymic disorder and twelve normal healthy controls were included. The authors measured positive APPs(Hp, α1AT, Cp) and negative APPs(Alb, Tf) using rate nephelometry and bromcresol green method. 1) There were signilicant increases of α1AT, Cp in major depressed patients as compared with normol controls. Trends towards higher Hp and lower Alb, Tf in major depressed patients were dbserved. 2) No significant difference of APPs concentrations between dysthymic patients and normal controls was found. 3) Severity of depression(HDRS, BDI score) was related to Hp, Cp, α1AT value positively. Our findings are partially compatible with the hypothesis that major depression may be accompanied by acute phase response with higher levels of positive APPs and lower levels of negative APPs.

Keywords Acute phase proteins;Immune activation;Acute phase response;Major depression.