Peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations in patients with bipolar disorder type II

We investigated the phenotype of peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients with bipolar disorder type II in different phases of the disease in order to check whether there are specific changes in the immune parameters. Lymphocytes subpopulations were analyzed ex vivo with flow cytometry in patients in euthymic, depression or hypomanic phase of the disease and compared with healthy controls. All BD patients were characterized by lower percentage of CD3(+)CD4(+) and CD3(+)CD8(+) cells compared with healthy people. But only patients in depression and remission had higher percentage of B cells (CD19(+) cells) compared with healthy people. The percentage of CD4(+)CD25(+) and CD8(+)CD25(+) cells was decreased in patients in hypomanic phase compared with healthy control. Patients in remission were characterized by increased concentrations of IL-6 and IL-10 and decreased level of TNF in blood serum. Significant correlations between immunologic parameters and the results of Hamilton or Young scale have also been found. Our results demonstrate that there are significant differences in lymphocyte subpopulations which depend on the phase of the disease the patient is currently in.