Monocyte and Lymphocyte Activation in Bipolar Disorder: A New Piece in the Puzzle of Immune Dysfunction in Mood Disorders

BACKGROUND: This study tested the hypothesis that the low-grade inflammation presented in patients with bipolar disorder (BD) is associated with expansion of activated T cells, and this activated state may be due to a lack of peripheral regulatory cells. METHODS: Specifically, we investigated the distribution of monocytes and lymphocyte subsets, and investigated Th1/Th2/Th17 cytokines in plasma by flow cytometry. Twenty-one BD type I patients and 21 age- and sex-matched controls were recruited for this study. RESULTS: BD patients had increased proportions of monocytes (CD14+). Regarding lymphocyte populations, BD patients presented reduced proportions of T cells (CD3+) and cytotoxic T cells (CD3+CD8+). BD patients also exhibited a higher percentage of activated T CD4+CD25+ cells, and a lower percentage of IL-10 expressing Treg cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our data shed some light into the underlying mechanisms involved with the chronic low-grade inflammatory profile described in BD patients.