Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 levels are associated with major depressive disorder

Evaluation of serum interleukin-12 and interleukin-4 as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of major depressive disorder

Recently, scientists have focused on pro-inflammatory cytokines and immunological dysregulation in major depressive disorder (MDD). Some research suggests pro-inflammatory cytokines' role in MDD development, whereas anti-inflammatory studies are sparse. There is no systematic investigation of Bangladeshi MDD patients' pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. This study examines the blood levels of IL-12 and IL-4 in Bangladeshi patients and healthy controls (HCs) to determine the diagnostic accuracy of these cytokines to identify MDD patients from those without MDD. A total of 110 people with MDD from the department of psychiatry of a teaching hospital in Dhaka and 107 HCs from Dhaka participated in this case-control study. Depression and illness severity were gauged using DSM-5 criteria and Ham-D scores. Commercially marketed ELISA kits were used in accordance with manufacturer guidelines to measure the levels of IL-12 and IL-4 in peripheral blood, allowing a comparison of the patient and control groups. In comparison to HCs, MDD patients (5333.00 ± 307.40 pg/ml) showed noticeably higher levels of IL-12 than in HCs (2331.00 ± 207.40 pg/ml). The increased levels were positively correlated with Ham-D scores (male: r = 0.351, p < 0.050; female: r = 0.389, p < 0.050), suggesting a possible relationship to disease progression. Additionally, compared to HCs (272.81 ± 23.94 pg/ml), MDD patients had significantly higher peripheral blood levels of IL-4 (876.35 ± 66.73 pg/ml) (p < 0.001). Also, there was a positive correlation between IL-4 serum levels and Ham-D scores (male: r = 0.361, p < 0.050; female: r = 0.398, p < 0.050). Therefore, we observed increased levels of these serum cytokines and their association with the severity of depression. The results of this study demonstrate the possibility of IL-12 and IL-4 blood levels as distinct markers capable of differentiating between MDD patients and HCs, possibly acting as markers of MDD susceptibility. To ascertain the diagnostic effectiveness of these two cytokines, more research is necessary.

Serum levels of interleukin-33 and mesencephalic astrocyte derived neurotrophic factors in patients with major depressive disorder: a cross-sectional comparative design

BACKGROUND

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating health condition that has significant morbidity and mortality rates. Depression can be caused due to social, biological, environmental, psychological, and genetic factors. A few biological processes have been proposed as the pathophysiological pathways of depression. Neurotrophic factors and inflammatory cytokines have been linked to depression. Thus, we aimed to investigate the serum interleukin-33 (IL-33) and mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) in MDD patients and corresponding healthy controls (HCs).

METHOD

This study involved the inclusion of 129 MDD patients and 125 HCs matched by sex and age. A psychiatrist evaluated the study participants following DSM-5 criteria. The severity of the illness was assessed utilizing the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (Ham-D). The serum concentrations of IL-33 and MANF were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits.

RESULTS

The mean serum levels of IL-33 were decreased (159.12 ± 6.07 pg/ml vs. 180.60 ± 8.64 pg/ml, p = 0.042), and the MANF levels were increased (5.40 ± 0.19 ng/ml vs. 4.46 ± 0.21 ng/ml, p = 0.001) in MDD patients when compared to HCs.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study proposes that lower IL-33 and higher MANF serum levels are associated with MDD progression and depression severity. These biomarkers could be used as risk assessment tools for MDD. We recommend more investigation, including a significant population, to determine the precise function of IL-33 and MANF in depression.

Altered serum TNF-α and MCP-4 levels are associated with the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder: A case-control study results

BACKGROUND

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a debilitating mental health condition with complex etiology, and recent research has focused on pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines as potential contributors to its pathogenesis. However, studies investigating the roles of TNF-α and MCP-4 in MDD within the Bangladeshi population are scarce. This study aimed to assess the association between serum TNF-α and MCP-4 levels and the severity of MDD, exploring their potential as risk indicators for MDD development.

METHODS

This case-control study enrolled 58 MDD patients from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh, alongside 30 age, sex, and BMI-matched healthy controls. MDD diagnosis followed DSM-5 criteria and disease severity using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (Ham-D). We measured serum TNF-α and MCP-4 levels using ELISA assays according to the supplied protocols.

RESULTS

The study revealed significantly elevated serum TNF-α levels in MDD patients (47±6.6 pg/ml, mean±SEM) compared to controls (28.06±1.07 pg/ml). These increased TNF-α levels positively correlated with Ham-D scores (Pearson's r = 0.300, p = 0.038), suggesting a potential association between peripheral TNF-α levels and MDD pathology. Additionally, MDD patients exhibited significantly higher serum MCP-4 levels (70.49±6.45 pg/ml) than controls (40.21±4.08 pg/ml). However, serum MCP-4 levels showed a significant negative correlation (r = -0.270, P = 0.048) with Ham-D scores in MDD patients, indicating a more complex role for MCP-4 in MDD pathogenesis.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights that Bangladeshi MDD patients exhibit heightened inflammatory and immune responses compared to controls, supporting the cytokine hypothesis in MDD pathogenesis. Serum TNF-α, but not MCP-4, shows promise as a potential biomarker for assessing the risk of MDD development, which could aid in early detection. Future investigations involving larger populations and longitudinal studies are essential to confirm the utility of these cytokines as biomarkers for MDD.

Machine Learning for the Prediction of Depression Progression from Inflammation Markers

Major depressive disorder is one of the major contributors to disability worldwide with an estimated prevalence of 4%. Depression is a heterogeneous disease often characterized by an undefined pathogenesis and multifactorial phenotype that complicate diagnosis and follow-up. Translational research and identification of objective biomarkers including inflammation can assist clinicians in diagnosing depression and disease progression. Investigating inflammation markers using machine learning methods combines recent understanding of the pathogenesis of depression associated with inflammatory changes as part of chronic disease progression that aims to highlight complex interactions. In this paper, 721 patients attending a diabetes health screening clinic (DiabHealth) were classified into no depression (none) to minimal depression (none-minimal), mild depression, and moderate to severe depression (moderate-severe) based on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Logistic Regression, K-nearest Neighbors, Support Vector Machine, Random Forest, Multi-layer Perceptron, and Extreme Gradient Boosting were applied and compared to predict depression level from inflammatory marker data that included C-reactive protein (CRP), Interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, IL-10, Complement Component 5a (C5a), D-Dimer, Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein (MCP)-1, and Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF)-1. MCP-1 and IL-1β were the most significant inflammatory markers for the classification performance of depression level. Extreme Gradient Boosting outperformed the models achieving the highest accuracy and Area Under the Receiver Operator Curve (AUC) of 0.89 and 0.95, respectively.Clinical Relevance- The findings of this study show the potential of machine learning models to aid in clinical practice, leading to a more objective assessment of depression level based on the involvement of MCP-1 and IL-1β inflammatory markers with disease progression.

Shared biological mechanisms of depression and obesity: focus on adipokines and lipokines

Depression and obesity are both common disorders currently affecting public health, frequently occurring simultaneously within individuals, and the relationship between these disorders is bidirectional. The association between obesity and depression is highly co-morbid and tends to significantly exacerbate metabolic and related depressive symptoms. However, the neural mechanism under the mutual control of obesity and depression is largely inscrutable. This review focuses particularly on alterations in systems that may mechanistically explain the in vivo homeostatic regulation of the obesity and depression link, such as immune-inflammatory activation, gut microbiota, neuroplasticity, HPA axis dysregulation as well as neuroendocrine regulators of energy metabolism including adipocytokines and lipokines. In addition, the review summarizes potential and future treatments for obesity and depression and raises several questions that need to be answered in future research. This review will provide a comprehensive description and localization of the biological connection between obesity and depression to better understand the co-morbidity of obesity and depression.

Evaluation of serum interleukin‐1 receptor antagonist levels in major depressive disorder: A case‐control study

Background and Aims

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by the occurrence of one or more depressive episodes lasting a minimum of 2 weeks and is marked by a persistently low mood and a lack of enjoyment in daily activities. The diagnosis of MDD is not possible by a well‐established laboratory test or biomarker. A wide range of potential biomarkers for depression have been proposed by many studies, but none of them has adequately described the correlation between the biomarkers and depression. The purpose of this study was to evaluate serum interleukin‐1 receptor antagonist (IL‐1RA) levels as an early depression risk factor.

Methods

The present case‐control study included 88 participants. Among them, 44 MDD patients enrolled from the psychiatry department of a public hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and 44 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls (HCs) from various sites in Dhaka city. A qualified psychiatrist evaluated the cases and HCs based on the fifth edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM‐5). The Hamilton depression (Ham‐D) rating scale was employed to evaluate the intensity of depression. An enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay kit (Boster Bio, USA) was used to determine serum IL‐1RA concentrations.

Results

We observed no marked alteration in the serum concentration of IL‐1RA in MDD patients in comparison to HCs (292.81 ± 24.81 and 288 ± 24.87 pg/mL; p > 0.05). Among MDD patients, we found no noteworthy association between the severity of depression and serum IL‐1RA levels.

Conclusion

The findings of the present study imply that IL‐1RA may not be identified as a promising biomarker for risk assessment of depression. However, its neuroprotective role may be taken into consideration for the understanding of pathophysiology of MDD.

Association of pro-inflammatory cytokines with trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder visiting a tertiary care hospital in Kathmandu

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that can occur after trauma. Although inflammatory markers such as cytokines are found altered in trauma and PTSD, there is no consensus regarding which can be considered as biomarkers. Studies from South Asia region is also rare. We studied cytokines among trauma affected patients and matched healthy controls. Fifty patients (cases) with trauma, visiting the University hospital in Kathmandu and thirty-nine healthy controls were selected, and the levels of cytokines were determined using a Luminex IS 200. We compared the levels of the cytokines in thirty-four age and gender matched pairs of case and control among three groups: healthy volunteers, cases diagnosed as PTSD, and cases without PTSD. Among the 34 pair-matched cases and controls, IL-6 was significantly higher in both PTSD positive cases [2.43 (0.00-14.54) pg/ml; p = 0.004] and PTSD negative cases [3.00 (0.92-3.86) pg/ml; p = 0.005], than in controls [0.39 (0.00-11.38) pg/ml]. IL-1β was significantly higher in PTSD positive cases [0.17 (0.00-5.27) pg/ml; p = 0.011] than in controls 0.00 (0.00-0.12) pg/ml. Other cytokines did not show significant differences. IL-6 was higher in both the trauma affected groups and IL-1β was higher in the trauma affected group with PTSD when compared to healthy controls. This supports the immune system activation hypothesis after trauma.

Elevated Serum IL-2 Levels are Associated With Major Depressive Disorder: A Case-Control Study

Objectives

Numerous earlier studies have stated an association between major depressive disorder (MDD) and altered expression of inflammatory process. However, it still needs to determine whether the alteration of cytokines is the causative factor or a consequence of this disorder. Therefore, we attempted to evaluate the role of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-2 in the pathophysiology of depression.

Methods

We collected blood samples from 111 MDD patients and 112 healthy controls (HCs) matched by age and sex. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5) score was used to assess study participants. We determined the severity of depression using the Hamilton Depression (Ham-D) rating scale. We assayed serum levels of IL-2 using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kit.

Results

Elevated levels of IL-2 were detected in MDD patients than HCs (29.79 ± 6.18 and 12.77 ± 4.84 pg/ml, P < 0.05). We observed a higher level of IL-2 in female MDD patients compared to female HCs (31.98 ± 8.34 and 7.76 ± 0.36 pg/ml, P < 0.05). We witnessed a sex-specific correlation between the serum IL-2 levels and the Ham-D score and found that the females with higher Ham-D scores had higher serum IL-2 levels. Moreover, the ROC curve represented the good diagnostic performance of serum IL-2 levels as a biomarker with sensitivity and specificity values of 83.7% and 80.4%, respectively.

Conclusions

The current study findings indicate that elevated serum IL-2 levels are associated with MDD. This alteration may be the cause of triggering depression or a result of the activated inflammatory process during the depression. Therefore, we recommend further interventional research to clarify the actual reasons for these altered IL-2 levels in MDD patients.

Elevated Serum Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor Levels are Associated With Major Depressive Disorder

Background

Previous studies have suggested the involvement of an activated inflammatory process in major depressive disorder (MDD), as altered expression of inflammatory cytokines is observed in depression. This alteration can be the cause or a consequence of MDD. However, acknowledging inflammatory cytokines as prospective biomarkers would aid in diagnosing or guiding better therapeutic options. Therefore, we designed this study to assess the macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in depression.

Method

We collected blood samples from 115 MDD patients and 113 healthy controls (HCs) matched by age and sex. MDD patients were diagnosed by a qualified psychiatrist based on the symptoms mentioned in the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5). We applied the Hamilton depression (Ham-D) rating scale to assess the severity of depression. We assessed serum levels of MIF using ELISA kit (Boster Bio, USA).

Result

We detected increased serum MIF levels in MDD patients compared to HCs (6.15 ± 0.23 ng/mL vs 3.95 ± 0.21 ng/mL, P < 0.001). Moreover, this increase is more among female patients than female controls. Also, we noticed a positive correlation between altered MIF levels and the Ham-D scores (r = 0.233; P = 0.012), where we found that patients who scored higher on the Ham-D scale had higher MIF levels in serum. Moreover, the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve represented the good diagnostic performance of altered serum MIF.

Conclusion

Our study findings indicate the association of pro-inflammatory cytokine MIF in the pathophysiology of depression as we identified elevated serum MIF levels in depressive patients compared to HCs. However, more researches are required to confirm whether this alteration of cytokine is the causative factor or a consequence of depression. We recommend conducting further studies to understand the pattern of this alteration of MIF levels in MDD patients.

Selected Biomarkers of Depression: What Are the Effects of Cytokines and Inflammation?

Depression is one of the leading mental illnesses worldwide and lowers the quality of life of many. According to WHO, about 5% of the worldwide population suffers from depression. Newer studies report a staggering global prevalence of 27.6%, and it is rising. Professionally, depression belonging to affective disorders is a psychiatric illness, and the category of major depressive disorder (MDD) comprises various diagnoses related to persistent and disruptive mood disorders. Due to this fact, it is imperative to find a way to assess depression quantitatively using a specific biomarker or a panel of biomarkers that would be able to reflect the patients' state and the effects of therapy. Cytokines, hormones, oxidative stress markers, and neuropeptides are studied in association with depression. The latest research into inflammatory cytokines shows that their relationship with the etiology of depression is causative. There are stronger cytokine reactions to pathogens and stressors in depression. If combined with other predisposing factors, responses lead to prolonged inflammatory processes, prolonged dysregulation of various axes, stress, pain, mood changes, anxiety, and depression. This review focuses on the most recent data on cytokines as markers of depression concerning their roles in its pathogenesis, their possible use in diagnosis and management, their different levels in bodily fluids, and their similarities in animal studies. However, cytokines are not isolated from the pathophysiologic mechanisms of depression or other psychiatric disorders. Their effects are only a part of the whole pathway.

Higher serum interleukin-12 levels are associated with the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder: A case-control study results

Background and Aims

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the fourth biggest health-related concern that dramatically impacts individuals' mental and physical health. Alteration of serum proinflammatory cytokine levels may take part in the development and progression of MDD. We aimed to explore and compare the role of interleukin-12 (IL-12) in MDD patients and healthy controls (HCs) and its involvement with the disease severity.

Methods

The present study included 85 patients and 87 age-sex matched HCs. A qualified psychiatrist utilized the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) criteria to diagnose patients and evaluate HCs. We applied the Ham-D rating scale to measure the severity of depression. Serum IL-12 levels were measured using ELISA kits.

Results

We observed a notable increase in the serum levels of IL-12 in MDD patients compared to HCs (164.27 ± 10.18 pg/ml and 82.55 ± 4.40 pg/ml; p < 0.001). Moreover, we noticed a positive correlation between serum IL-12 levels and Ham-D scores in MDD patients (r = 0.363; p = 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed a good predictive performance (AUC = 0.871; p < 0.001) at the cut-off point of 53.46 pg/ml for serum IL-12.

Conclusion

The current study findings support that IL-12 levels are involved with the pathogenesis and inflammatory process in MDD. At the same time, this involvement may make this cytokine eligible for the risk evaluation of MDD. However, we recommend further interventional studies to explore more accurate associations between IL-12 and depressive disorder.

Antidepressant and Anxiolytic Effects of Fermented Huauzontle, a Prehispanic Mexican Pseudocereal

This study aimed to assess the potential antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects of huauzontle fermented by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Lp22. The possible association between oxidative stress/inflammation biomarkers and unconditional behavioural tests was also evaluated. Red light-induced stress mice C57Bl/6 (n = 5 per group) received orally either fermented or unfermented huauzontle, diazepam or fluoxetine. A non-stressed group which received saline solution was also included. Then, anxiety-related and depression-related behaviour tests were performed; after that, blood and tissues samples were collected to determine oxidative stress/inflammation biomarkers. The mice receiving both fermented and unfermented huauzontle spent more time (94 s) in open arms in the elevated plus maze test p < 0.05; besides, travelled longer distance (p < 0.05) and increased by more than 50% the exploration time for the open field, as well as the time spent in the illuminated zone (197 s) in the light/dark test. Furthermore, reduced immobility time in the tail suspension and forced swim tests (23.1 and 15.85, respectively), and anhedonia was no detected in the sucrose preference test. The oxidative stress index was lower in the liver of fermented huauzontle-treated mice, while enhanced levels of IL-10, MCP-1 and BDNF in plasma, and lipoxygenase (LOX) activity in the hippocampus were found. Finally, PCA revealed a positive correlation among LOX and BDNF and parameters determined in the anxiety tests, as between catalase activity and immobility time in the depression test. These findings indicate the novel potential therapeutic applications of fermented huauzontle on depression and anxiety-like behaviours possibly mediated by antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms.

Relationship of herpesvirus (HSV1, EBV, CMV, HHV6) seropositivity with depressive disorder and its clinical aspects: The first study in children

Infections can lead to the onset of mood disorders in adults, partly through inflammatory mechanisms. However pediatric data are lacking. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between depressive disorder and seropositivity of herpes virus infections in children. The sample group consisted of patients diagnosed with depressive disorder according to DSM-5 diagnostic criteria and healthy volunteers, being between 11 and 18 years with clinically normal mental capacity. All children completed DSM-5-Level-2 Depression Scale, DSM-5-Level-2 Irritability Scale, DSM-5-Level-2 Sleep Scale, DSM-5-Level-2 Somatic Symptoms Scale. The levels of anti-HSV1-IgG, anti-CMV-IgG, anti-EBNA, and anti-HHV6-IgG were examined in all participants. Patients with an antibody value above the cut-off values specified in the test kits were evaluated as seropositive. The mean age was 15.54 ± 1.57 years in the depression group (DG), 14.87 ± 1.76 years in the healthy control group (CG). There were 4 boys (11.2%), 32 girls (88.8%) in the DG, 9 boys (21.9%) and 32 girls (78.04%) in the CG. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of the presence of seropositivity of HSV1, CMV, EBV, and HHV6. HHV6 antibody levels were significantly higher in the DG (p = 0.000). A significant positive correlation was found between HHV6 antibodies and DSM-5 level-2 somatic symptoms scale score. HHV6 antibody levels were found to be significantly higher in patients with existing suicidal ideation in the DG (n = 13) compared to those without existing suicidal ideation in the DG (p = 0.043). HHV6 persistent infections may be responsible for somatic symptoms and etiology of suicidal ideation in childhood depressive disorder.

Attitudes of mental healthcare professionals and media professionals towards each other in reducing social stigma due to mental illness in Bangladesh

Mental illness is a neglected issue all over the world. The development of negligence towards mental illness could be due to the stigmatized attitudes. Also, social stigma due to mental illness is prevalent in many south Asian countries. In Bangladesh, the condition is even worse than regional data in Asia. The general people consider media as a primary source of information about mental health. However, mental health professionals (MHP) have direct contact with psychiatric patients and their family members. Therefore, both MHP and media professionals (MP) have a role in reducing social stigma due to mental illness. The present study aimed to identify attitudes of MHP and MP towards each other in reducing social stigma due to mental illness. We conducted a cross-sectional online survey among 174 participants (80 MHP and 94 MP). We used two sets of self-reporting questionnaires to assess the attitudes of MHP and MP towards one another. Also, we collected and analyzed sociodemographic profiles of study participants. We observed significant differences in terms of their profession-related statements between MHP and MP. Also, we have seen significant gaps between MHP and MP in terms of their complete agreement on attitude-related aspects. However, most respondents agreed that stigma due to mental illness is a vital problem in Bangladesh. Moreover, maximum participants accepted that the current public images about psychiatry and media role in reducing social stigma need to be improved. We observed gap between MHP and MP in their roles and beliefs in reducing social stigma due to mental illness in Bangladesh. Reciprocal training and awareness programs would help them in reducing social stigma due to mental illness. The findings of the present study would help to sort out the possible areas for interventions. However, the present study has few limitations; therefore, we recommend further studies with more homogeneous and large samples to make better conclusion.

Serum Cortisol, Nesfatin-1, and IL-1β: Potential Diagnostic Biomarkers in Elderly Patients with Treatment-Resistant Depression

Aim

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) affects approximately 30% of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), especially elderly patients. As individuals with TRD are at an increased risk of committing suicide and pose a higher risk of relapse, early diagnostic biomarkers of TRD and a better understanding of the resistance mechanism are highly needed. This study aimed to determine whether serum cortisol, nesfatin-1, and pro-inflammatory cytokines can be used as biomarkers for the diagnosis of elderly patients with TRD.

Methods

Thirty elderly patients with TRD were selected as the TRD group. Thirty elderly patients with MDD who were effectively treated with conventional antidepressants were selected as the non-TRD group. The baseline levels of serum cortisol, nesfatin-1, and pro-inflammatory cytokines were measured and compared, and their diagnostic values were evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve method for discriminating patients with TRD from those without TRD.

Results

Serum cortisol, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were significantly higher in the non-TRD and TRD groups than in the control group. Moreover, serum cortisol, CRP, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels in the TRD group were significantly lower than those in the non-TRD group. Furthermore, serum nesfatin-1 levels in the non-TRD group were significantly lower than those in the control and TRD groups, while the serum IL-1β levels in the non-TRD group were significantly higher than those in the control and TRD groups. Additionally, an ROC analysis revealed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.929 for the combination of nesfatin-1 and IL-1β and an AUC of 0.956 for the combination of cortisol, nesfatin-1, and IL-1β in discriminating elderly patients with TRD from those without non-TRD.

Conclusion

Serum cortisol, nesfatin-1, and IL-1β may be potential diagnostic biomarkers for discriminating elderly patients with TRD from those without TRD.

Old and New Biomarkers for Infection, Inflammation, and Autoimmunity in Treatment-Resistant Affective and Schizophrenic Spectrum Disorders

Affective (AF) and Schizophrenic (SZ) Spectrum disorders manifest with risk factors, involving inflammatory processes linked to infections and autoimmunity. This study searched for novel biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and peripheral blood. A total of 29 AF and 39 SZ patients with treatment-resistant disease were included. In CSF, the chemokine IL-8 was significantly elevated in AF and SZ patients. IL-8 promotes chemotaxis by neutrophils and may originate from different tissues. S100B, a glia-derived brain damage marker, was higher in CSF from AF than SZ patients. Among the plasma-derived biomarkers, ferritin was elevated in AF and SZ. Soluble CD25, indicating Treg dysfunction, was higher in SZ than in AF patients. Interferon-γ, implying virus-specific immune activation, was positive in selective AF patients, only. Both groups showed elevated expression of immunosuppressive CD33 on monocytes, but higher amounts of CD123+ plasmacytoid dendritic cells were restricted to SZ. In conclusion, chemotactic IL-8 indicates neuronal stress and inflammation in the CSF of both groups. Novel plasma-derived biomarkers such as sCD25 and monocytic CD33 distinguish SZ from AF with an autoimmune phenotype.