Serum IL-6 levels and oxidation rate of LDL cholesterol were related to depressive symptoms independent of omega-3 fatty acids among female hospital and nursing home workers in Japan

Omega-3 index as risk factor in psychiatric diseases: a narrative review

Numerous studies have described associations between the omega-3 index (defined as the RBC percentage of EPA and DHA) and mental conditions, but no risk stratification or target value has gathered consensus so far. This narrative review aims to summarize the published data on the association between omega-3 index and mental illness and to contribute to the concept of an omega-3 index in the field of mental health. The bibliographic searches have been carried out in PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases to find relevant English language original research studies related to that association. The study search and selection process were registered in a PRISMA flow. Thirty-six studies were included in this review examining the links between omega-3 index and postpartum depression (3), major depression (15), major depression and bipolar disorder (1), bipolar disorder (4), schizophrenia and major depression (1), schizophrenia and other psychosis (5) and dementia (7). Thirty of these studies found either significant differences in omega-3 index between patients and controls or inverse relationships between omega-3 index and disease severity. The published evidence is compelling enough to suggest omega-3 index as a risk factor for some psychiatric diseases, specifically, major depression, postpartum depression, psychosis, and dementia. In occidental populations, we propose a risk threshold of (a) 4-5% in major depression and dementia, (b) 5% in postpartum depression, and (c) 4% for psychosis transition.

Genomic-Analysis-Oriented Drug Repurposing in the Search for Novel Antidepressants

From inadequate prior antidepressants that targeted monoamine neurotransmitter systems emerged the discovery of alternative drugs for depression. For instance, drugs targeted interleukin 6 receptor (IL6R) in inflammatory system. Genomic analysis-based drug repurposing using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) inclined a promising method for several diseases. However, none of the diseases was depression. Thus, we aimed to identify drug repurposing candidates for depression treatment by adopting a genomic-analysis-based approach. The 5885 SNPs obtained from the machine learning approach were annotated using HaploReg v4.1. Five sets of functional annotations were applied to determine the depression risk genes. The STRING database was used to expand the target genes and identify drug candidates from the DrugBank database. We validated the findings using the ClinicalTrial.gov and PubMed databases. Seven genes were observed to be strongly associated with depression (functional annotation score = 4). Interestingly, IL6R was auspicious as a target gene according to the validation outcome. We identified 20 drugs that were undergoing preclinical studies or clinical trials for depression. In addition, we identified sarilumab and satralizumab as drugs that exhibit strong potential for use in the treatment of depression. Our findings indicate that a genomic-analysis-based approach can facilitate the discovery of drugs that can be repurposed for treating depression.

Glutamine supplementation can reduce some atherosclerosis markers after exhaustive exercise in young healthy males

OBJECTIVES

Glutamine can be beneficial to athletes for its antiinflammatory and antioxidant effects. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of glutamine supplementation on some atherosclerosis markers after exhaustive exercise in young healthy males.

METHODS

In an intervention study, 30 healthy males (case = 15 and control = 15) were randomly assigned into two groups. For 14 d, the intervention group received 0.3 g of glutamine per kilogram of body weight per day, with 25 g of sugar in 250 mL of water, and the control group received 25 g of sugar per 250 mL of water. At the end of the intervention, the participants completed one session of exhaustive exercise, and then fasting blood samples were taken to test serum levels of atherosclerosis markers.

RESULTS

In the intervention group, the serum levels of leptin, cholesterol, and oxidized low-density lipoprotein were lower than in the control group after 2 wk of glutamine supplementation (P < 0.05). Interleukin-6 serum levels were lower in the intervention group compared to the control group after supplementation, but not significantly. Serum levels of leptin, interleukin-6, cholesterol, and oxidized low-density lipoprotein, as well as the ratio of oxidized low-density lipoprotein to high-density lipoprotein, were significantly decreased in the intervention group compared to the control group after exhaustive exercise (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Glutamine supplementation has beneficial effects for athletes, particularly those doing strenuous physical exercise, through reducing atherosclerosis-related biomarkers and elevating serum adiponectin levels, and it can potentially play a role in decreasing the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis.

Unravelling the broader complexity of IL-6 involvement in health and disease

The classification of interleukin-6 (IL-6) as a pro-inflammatory cytokine undervalues the biological impact of this cytokine in health and disease. With broad activities affecting the immune system, tissue homeostasis and metabolic processes, IL-6 displays complex biology. The significance of these involvements has become increasingly important in clinical settings where IL-6 is identified as a prominent target for therapy. Here, clinical experience with IL-6 antagonists emphasises the need to understand the context-dependent properties of IL-6 within an inflammatory environment and the anticipated or unexpected consequences of IL-6 blockade. In this review, we will describe the immunobiology of IL-6 and explore the gamut of IL-6 bioactivity affecting the clinical response to biological drugs targeting this cytokine pathway.

Mental Stress, Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms and Interleuken-6 Level among Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate the interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels and its relationship to stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms among healthcare workers (HCWs) compared to controls during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A total of 80 HCWs in Suez Canal University Hospital in Ismailia, Egypt, and 80 controls were analyzed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS 21) questionnaire was used, and serum IL-6 level was determined in both groups.

RESULTS

IL-6 levels were high in 81.2% (65) of HCWs compared to 36% (45) of controls (P < .05). The DASS score was higher in participants with high IL-6 levels (>3 ng/mL) than in those with mild to moderate levels (P < .05). The regression model revealed that the type of work as a healthcare staff, irregular or night shift, and stress were predictors of increased IL-6 levels among the studied sample (P < .05) (odds ratio = 20.30, 2.44, and 2.04, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The IL-6 level and DASS score were higher in HCWs compared to those in controls during the COVID-19 pandemic. The type of work as a healthcare staff, stress, and irregular or night shift were predictors of increased IL-6 levels.

Oxidative Stress at the Crossroads of Aging, Stroke and Depression

Epidemiologic studies have shown that in the aging society, a person dies from stroke every 3 minutes and 42 seconds, and vast numbers of people experience depression around the globe. The high prevalence and disability rates of stroke and depression introduce enormous challenges to public health. Accumulating evidence reveals that stroke is tightly associated with depression, and both diseases are linked to oxidative stress (OS). This review summarizes the mechanisms of OS and OS-mediated pathological processes, such as inflammation, apoptosis, and the microbial-gut-brain axis in stroke and depression. Pathological changes can lead to neuronal cell death, neurological deficits, and brain injury through DNA damage and the oxidation of lipids and proteins, which exacerbate the development of these two disorders. Additionally, aging accelerates the progression of stroke and depression by overactive OS and reduced antioxidant defenses. This review also discusses the efficacy and safety of several antioxidants and antidepressants in stroke and depression. Herein, we propose a crosstalk between OS, aging, stroke, and depression, and provide potential therapeutic strategies for the treatment of stroke and depression.

Omega-3 Eicosapentaenoic Acid Is Related to Happiness and a Sense of Fulfillment-A Study among Female Nursing Workers

Background: Omega (ω) 3 fatty acid (FA) is a polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) that can modulate some mental statuses. However, most studies have not considered the functional differences between eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). We investigated associations among happiness, a sense of fulfillment and serum ω3 PUFA levels. Methods: Participants were 133 female staff from a hospital and nursing homes. Happiness was measured using the Japanese version of the subjective happiness scale (SHS); a sense of fulfillment was assessed using a visual analogue scale. Serum FA concentrations were measured. A partial correlation test and a regression model were applied. Results: The SHS scores showed significantly positive correlations with a sense of fulfillment, DHA% and EPA% (p < 0.05, < 0.05 and < 0.005, respectively), after controlling for age, BMI, menopause, snacking habits and leisure-time physical activities. A sense of fulfillment was significantly negatively correlated with α-linoleic acid%, and positively correlated with DHA% and EPA% (p < 0.05, < 0.05 and < 0.005, respectively), after controlling for the confounders. A regression model showed that a sense of fulfillment, EPA, and not stopping menstruation explained happiness (standardised beta, B = 0.18, p < 0.05; B = 0.24, p < 0.01; and B = 0.32, and p < 0.05, respectively), whereas age, BMI and snacking habits could not. Simultaneously, a regression model could not explain the association between DHA and happiness. Conclusion: Happiness was related with serum EPA%, a sense of fulfillment, and premenopause.

Depression and Cardiovascular Disease: The Viewpoint of Platelets

Depression is a major cause of morbidity and low quality of life among patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD), and it is now considered as an independent risk factor for major adverse cardiovascular events. Increasing evidence indicates not only that depression worsens the prognosis of cardiac events, but also that a cross-vulnerability between the two conditions occurs. Among the several mechanisms proposed to explain this interplay, platelet activation is the more attractive, seeing platelets as potential mirror of the brain function. In this review, we dissected the mechanisms linking depression and CVD highlighting the critical role of platelet behavior during depression as trigger of cardiovascular complication. In particular, we will discuss the relationship between depression and molecules involved in the CVD (e.g., catecholamines, adipokines, lipids, reactive oxygen species, and chemokines), emphasizing their impact on platelet activation and related mechanisms.

Role of Interleukin-6 in Depressive Disorder

Major depressive disorder (MDD), which is a leading psychiatric illness across the world, severely affects quality of life and causes an increased incidence of suicide. Evidence from animal as well as clinical studies have indicated that increased peripheral or central cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels play an important role in stress reaction and depressive disorder, especially physical disorders comorbid with depression. Increased release of IL-6 in MDD has been found to be a factor associated with MDD prognosis and therapeutic response, and may affect a wide range of depressive symptomatology. However, study results of the IL6 genetic effects in MDD are controversial. Increased IL-6 activity may cause depression through activation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis or influence of the neurotransmitter metabolism. The important role of neuroinflammation in MDD pathogenesis has created a new perspective that the combining of blood IL-6 and other depression-related cytokine levels may help to classify MDD biological subtypes, which may allow physicians to identify the optimal treatment for MDD patients. To modulate the IL-6 activity by IL-6-related agents, current antidepressive agents, herb medication, pre-/probiotics or non-pharmacological interventions may hold great promise for the MDD patients with inflammatory features.

Psychological well-being and green tea consumption are associated with lower pentosidine serum levels among elderly female residents in Japan

OBJECTIVE

Pentosidine (PEN), a well-defined advanced glycation end product (AGE), may be affected by psychological status, given the recent findings regarding AGE receptor functions. Because AGEs can be a factor in aging and in the development or worsening of many degenerative diseases, it is important to find a way to reduce the PEN levels in our body. This study aims to investigate novel factors associated with PEN levels.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study involving 106 female participants (aged 59-69) was conducted in a tea-producing district in Japan. The serum concentration of PEN was detected and evaluated in relation to the participants' psychological status, which was assessed using the Japanese version of the 28-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and lifestyle factors. Factors that were significantly associated with PEN were analysed using multiple linear regression analyses. Significance was defined as p < .05.

RESULTS

The serum PEN concentrations were significantly and positively associated with the total GHQ scores and BMI after controlling for covariates (standardised beta coefficient (B) = 0.26, p < .01; B = 0.27, p < .01, respectively). In addition, the PEN levels were significantly lower in participants who consumed seven cups or more of green tea per day than those who consumed six or fewer cups per day (B = 0.19, p < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Low GHQ scores (i.e. better psychological well-being) and green tea consumption may be helpful in decreasing AGEs.