AUTHOR=Ouyang Lijun , Li David , Li Zongchang , Ma Xiaoqian , Yuan Liu , Fan Lejia , Yang Zihao , Zhang Zhenmei , Li Chunwang , He Ying , Chen Xiaogang 

TITLE=IL-17 and TNF-β: Predictive biomarkers for transition to psychosis in ultra-high risk individuals

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychiatry

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1072380

DOI=10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1072380

ISSN=1664-0640

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Background</title><p>Dysregulation of immunity, such as levels of inflammatory factors, has been regarded as a sign of schizophrenia. Changes in cytokine levels are not only described in the early onset of disease, but also observed in ultra-high risk (UHR) individuals. This study aimed to investigate the potential of cytokines as biomarkers for psychotic disorders and in individuals at UHR of developing a psychotic disorder in the future.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>The Luminex liquid chip technology was used to detect the concentrations of Interferon-gamma (INF-γ), Interleukin (IL)-2, Interleukin (IL)-4, Interleukin (IL)-6, Interleukin (IL)-17, Interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), and Tumor Necrosis Factor-beta (TNF-β) in the plasma of all subjects. Meanwhile, the plasma level of Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha (TNF-α) was measured with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Then, the levels of these cytokines were compared among patients with Drug-naïve first-episode schizophrenia (FES; <italic>n</italic> = 40), UHR population (UHR; <italic>n</italic> = 49), and healthy controls (HCs; <italic>n</italic> = 30). Baseline cytokine levels were compared among UHR individuals who later transitioned (UHR-T; <italic>n</italic> = 14), those who did not transition (UHR-NT; <italic>n</italic> = 35), and HCs (<italic>n</italic> = 30).</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>Our analysis results showed that IL-1β levels were significantly higher in UHR group than HC group (<italic>p</italic> = 0.015). Meanwhile, TNF-α concentration was significantly increased in FES group compared with HC group (<italic>p</italic> = 0.027). IL-17 (<italic>p</italic> = 0.04) and TNF-β (<italic>p</italic> = 0.008) levels were significantly higher in UHR-T group compared with UHR-NT group.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>In conclusion, our findings suggest that the immuno-inflammatory activation level is increased in the early stage of psychosis before psychotic conversion and the Drug-naïve FES. IL-1β and TNF-α are the representatives of the specific biomarkers for UHR and FES, respectively. IL-17 and TNF-β may be the potential selective predictive biomarkers for future transition in UHR individuals.</p></sec>