Thus, we believe that our approach to the dissection of IFN-α-induced depression may be worthwhile to replicate for other homogenous groups of MDD patients. In conclusion, our data demonstrate a significant down-regulation of TGF-β1 and dysregulation of Th1-Th2 cytokine
balance in the depression associated with IFN-based treatment of HCV Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical infection. We propose that TGF-β1 may play a role in the imbalance of the Th1/Th2 cytokine ratio in patients with CH-C and depression. With further validation, TGF-β1 and other components of Th1/Th2 regulation pathway may provide a quantitative marker for HCV patients predisposed to treatment-related depression. Acknowledgments This study was supported by the Liver Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical Outcomes Research Fund of the Center for Liver Diseases at Inova Fairfax
Hospital, Inova Health System, Falls Church, Virginia. All the gene expression experiments were performed at Celera, Alameda, California. Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Authors’ contributions: ABar and ZY designed the study and edited the manuscript. AA and IY collected the samples. MS performed statistical analysis. ABir performed gene expression analysis and drafted a manuscript. All authors read and approved the Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical final manuscript. Authors’ Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical information: ABar is an Associate Professor at the School of Systems Biology, College of Science, George Mason University (SSB COS GMU). ABir is Research Assistant Professor at SSB COS GMU. AA is a Research Associates and IZ is a Research Volunteer at Betty and Guy Beatty Center for Integrated Research,
Inova Health System. ZY is a Chairman, Department of Medicine, Inova Fairfax Hospital and Vice President for Research, Inova Health System.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease involving motor neurons in the cerebral cortex, corticospinal tract, brainstem, Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical and spinal cord. Clinically, patients show signs and symptoms of upper and lower motor neuron disease, with spasticity and hyperreflexia corresponding to the former, and fasciculations, weakness and muscle wasting corresponding to the latter condition. Two different types of onset are mainly distinguishable: the spinal onset, with patients presenting initially with weakness Histone demethylase and atrophy distally in one limb and the bulbar one, characterized by severe dysarthria and dysphagia. In addition to motor symptoms, selleck chemical cognitive impairment, especially involving frontal executive functions, is a typical feature of the disease. Also “pseudobulbar” symptoms such as emotional lability, with difficulties in controlling episodes of laughing or crying, are seen in a significant number of cases (Gallagher 1989).