Indications for an antidepressive effect of thymosin alpha-1 in a small open-label proof of concept study in common variable immune deficiency patients with depression
Background: A considerable proportion (21%) of patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) suffers from depression. These subjects are characterized by reduced naïve T cells and a premature T cell senescence similar to that of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). It is known that...
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Elsevier
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666354624002126 |
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| author | Daniël G. Aynekulu Mersha Sarah E. Fromme Frank van Boven Gara Arteaga-Henríquez Annemarie Wijkhuijs Marianne van der Ent Raf Berghmans Bernard T. Baune Hemmo A. Drexhage Virgil Dalm |
| author_facet | Daniël G. Aynekulu Mersha Sarah E. Fromme Frank van Boven Gara Arteaga-Henríquez Annemarie Wijkhuijs Marianne van der Ent Raf Berghmans Bernard T. Baune Hemmo A. Drexhage Virgil Dalm |
| author_sort | Daniël G. Aynekulu Mersha |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: A considerable proportion (21%) of patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) suffers from depression. These subjects are characterized by reduced naïve T cells and a premature T cell senescence similar to that of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). It is known that T cells are essential for limbic system development/function. Treatment with thymosin α1 (Tα1) is capable to increase the thymus output of naïve T cells. Objective: To treat CVID patients with a comorbid depressive episode with Tα1 to increase naïve T cells and thereby improve mood. Design: A small open-label, proof of concept trial. Five depressed CVID patients (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, HDRS >12) could be treated with Tα1 (8 weeks, 1.6 mg daily subcutaneously, 1st week, thereafter 1.6 mg twice weekly). At the start, at 8 weeks and 8 weeks after the last injection, the HDRS was recorded and blood samples drawn for measuring naïve and memory T cells, Th17 and Treg cells, hsCRP, IL-6 and IL-7. Outcomes were compared to those of a contrast group (42 MDD patients, same severity but treated as usual (TAU)). Results: In all 5 depressed CVID patients HDRS decreased during Tα1 treatment (with average 52%, TAU decreased scores with 36% in MDD patients). All 5 CVID patients showed an increase in naïve/memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cell ratios, and in 4 of the 5 patients with detectable IL-6 levels reductions were recorded. TAU did not show such immune improvements. In the 8-week wash-out, depression recurred in the 2 most severe patients, while continued to improve in the others. Immune effects were not sustained in the wash-out. Conclusion: This preliminary small study suggests thymus hormone treatment to have antidepressive and related immune correcting effects. Data urge for larger placebo-controlled trials. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0e268935d4ce469b9d7dbb41c40f2b47 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2666-3546 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-0e268935d4ce469b9d7dbb41c40f2b472025-01-26T05:05:03ZengElsevierBrain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health2666-35462025-02-0143100934Indications for an antidepressive effect of thymosin alpha-1 in a small open-label proof of concept study in common variable immune deficiency patients with depressionDaniël G. Aynekulu Mersha0Sarah E. Fromme1Frank van Boven2Gara Arteaga-Henríquez3Annemarie Wijkhuijs4Marianne van der Ent5Raf Berghmans6Bernard T. Baune7Hemmo A. Drexhage8Virgil Dalm9Dept of Immunology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the NetherlandsDept of Psychiatry, University of Muenster, Muenster, GermanyDepartment of Internal Medicine, Section of Allergology & Clinical Immunology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, P.O. Box 2040, 3000, CA, Rotterdam, the NetherlandsDepartment of Mental Health, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Group of Psychiatry, Mental Health, and Addictions, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Biomedical Network Research Center on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, Catalonia, SpainDept of Immunology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the NetherlandsDept of Immunology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the NetherlandsDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, AustraliaDept of Psychiatry, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany; The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, AustraliaDept of Immunology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Corresponding author. Molewaterplein 40, 3015, GD, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.h.drexhage@erasmusmc.nlDept of Immunology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the NetherlandsBackground: A considerable proportion (21%) of patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) suffers from depression. These subjects are characterized by reduced naïve T cells and a premature T cell senescence similar to that of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). It is known that T cells are essential for limbic system development/function. Treatment with thymosin α1 (Tα1) is capable to increase the thymus output of naïve T cells. Objective: To treat CVID patients with a comorbid depressive episode with Tα1 to increase naïve T cells and thereby improve mood. Design: A small open-label, proof of concept trial. Five depressed CVID patients (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, HDRS >12) could be treated with Tα1 (8 weeks, 1.6 mg daily subcutaneously, 1st week, thereafter 1.6 mg twice weekly). At the start, at 8 weeks and 8 weeks after the last injection, the HDRS was recorded and blood samples drawn for measuring naïve and memory T cells, Th17 and Treg cells, hsCRP, IL-6 and IL-7. Outcomes were compared to those of a contrast group (42 MDD patients, same severity but treated as usual (TAU)). Results: In all 5 depressed CVID patients HDRS decreased during Tα1 treatment (with average 52%, TAU decreased scores with 36% in MDD patients). All 5 CVID patients showed an increase in naïve/memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cell ratios, and in 4 of the 5 patients with detectable IL-6 levels reductions were recorded. TAU did not show such immune improvements. In the 8-week wash-out, depression recurred in the 2 most severe patients, while continued to improve in the others. Immune effects were not sustained in the wash-out. Conclusion: This preliminary small study suggests thymus hormone treatment to have antidepressive and related immune correcting effects. Data urge for larger placebo-controlled trials.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666354624002126CVIDDepressionThymalfasinTherapyImprovement |
| spellingShingle | Daniël G. Aynekulu Mersha Sarah E. Fromme Frank van Boven Gara Arteaga-Henríquez Annemarie Wijkhuijs Marianne van der Ent Raf Berghmans Bernard T. Baune Hemmo A. Drexhage Virgil Dalm Indications for an antidepressive effect of thymosin alpha-1 in a small open-label proof of concept study in common variable immune deficiency patients with depression Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health CVID Depression Thymalfasin Therapy Improvement |
| title | Indications for an antidepressive effect of thymosin alpha-1 in a small open-label proof of concept study in common variable immune deficiency patients with depression |
| title_full | Indications for an antidepressive effect of thymosin alpha-1 in a small open-label proof of concept study in common variable immune deficiency patients with depression |
| title_fullStr | Indications for an antidepressive effect of thymosin alpha-1 in a small open-label proof of concept study in common variable immune deficiency patients with depression |
| title_full_unstemmed | Indications for an antidepressive effect of thymosin alpha-1 in a small open-label proof of concept study in common variable immune deficiency patients with depression |
| title_short | Indications for an antidepressive effect of thymosin alpha-1 in a small open-label proof of concept study in common variable immune deficiency patients with depression |
| title_sort | indications for an antidepressive effect of thymosin alpha 1 in a small open label proof of concept study in common variable immune deficiency patients with depression |
| topic | CVID Depression Thymalfasin Therapy Improvement |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666354624002126 |
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