Accelerated apoptosis of blood leukocytes and oxidative stress in blood of patients with major depression.

Acceleration of blood leukocyte apoptosis in major depression has been described. The present studies have been undertaken to estimate the level of apoptosis of blood leukocytes in patients with depression and to examine the mechanisms leading to apoptosis. Blood was taken from 29 patients with depression (age 48.

Neuroleptics modulate cytokine and reactive oxygen species production in blood leukocytes of healthy volunteers.

Introduction: There have been several reports indicating that schizophrenia is related to the activation of the inflammatory response system (IRS), characterized by increased serum concentrations of several cytokines, and that antipsychotic drugs may have immunosuppressive or immunoregulatory effects. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of neuroleptics on cytokine and reactive oxygen species production in vitro, in blood leukocytes.

Materials And Methods: We studied the effect of haloperidol, chlorpromazine and clozapine on the unstimulated and stimulated (phytohemagglutinin+lipopolysaccharide--PHA+LPS) production of some cytokines which are known to be mainly products of T lymphocytes and monocytes (IL-2, lymphotoxin, IFN-gamma, IL-12, IL-4, IL-10 and TGF-beta) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of healthy subjects.

In vitro immunoregulatory effects of antidepressants in healthy volunteers.

Major depression is accompanied by an activation of the inflammatory response system (IRS) and antidepressants may have immunoregulatory activities. This study was carried out to compare the effect of imipramine, mianserin and lithium on the in vitro production of Th1-like cytokines, such as IL-2, IFN-gamma, lymphotoxin and Th2-like cytokines such as IL-4, IL-10 as well as IL-12 and TGF-beta. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of 16 healthy volunteers were stimulated with polyclonal activators (phytohemagglutinin with lipopolysaccharide PHA + LPS) with or without incubation with imipramine, mianserin (1 microM) or lithium (1 mM).

The inhibitory effect of zinc on cadmium-induced cell apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in cell cultures.

The prevention of apoptosis by Zn(2+) is a well-known phenomenon. Both in in vitro and in vivo Zn(2+) supplementation prevents apoptosis induced by a variety of agents, among them by cadmium ions. The target for protective action of Zn ions on cell apoptosis is still unknown.

Antimitotic activity of aqueous extracts of Inonotus obliquus.

The cytotoxic effect of two aqueous extracts of Inonotus obliquus on human cervical uteri cancer cells (Hela S3) in vitro was evaluated. It was concluded that Inonotus extracts at a concentration of 10 micrograms/ml to 2000 micrograms/ml inhibited cancer cells growth. In cultures with extracts of the fungus a decrease of the cell proteins and mitotic index was observed.