Association between Plasma IL-6 Response to Acute Stress and Early-Life Adversity in Healthy Adults

Abstract

Increased production of peripheral cytokines and other pro-inflammatory markers has been linked to psychiatric disorders such as major depressive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Recent research has pointed to early life stress, particularly childhood maltreatment, as an independent and preventable risk factor for systemic inflammation in adulthood. Some data suggest that adults with a history of childhood maltreatment exhibit a heightened inflammatory response to acute stress challenge. To further elucidate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and pro-inflammatory cytokine production, we examined plasma IL-6 response to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) in 69 healthy adult subjects without depression or PTSD. Serial plasma IL-6 concentrations were measured during a standardized psychosocial stressor in n=19 subjects with moderate-severe childhood maltreatment (MAL) and n=50 controls without maltreatment (CTL), as indicated by self-ratings on the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). CTQ total scores were positively correlated with change in overall change in IL-6 response, as well as the maximum IL-6 concentration during the TSST. Greater acute IL-6 release and higher IL-6 concentrations over time were observed for the MAL group relative to the CTL group. Inflammation may be an important developmental mediator linking adverse experiences in early life to poor adult physical and mental health. The results of this preliminary study warrant further investigation in a larger sample.

Psychoneuroimmunology of Early-Life Stress: The Hidden Wounds of Childhood Trauma?

“…On the one hand, there is evidence of crosssensitization between childhood trauma and inflammation. For example, compared to individuals without a history of childhood trauma, those with a history of childhood trauma have greater inflammatory response to subsequent stressors including experimental psychosocial stressors and daily stressors (Carpenter et al, 2010;Gouin et al, 2012;KiecoltGlaser et al, 2011;Pace et al, 2006). Similar findings have been described in rodents (Avitsur et al, 2006;Brenhouse and Thompson, 2015;Hennessy et al, 2010b).…”

“…Of note, patients with major depression and history of childhood maltreatment showed greater increase in IL-6 levels and greater NF-kappaB DNA binding (indicating genomic activation of inflammatory pathways) in response to TSST compared to controls (Pace et al, 2006). Similarly, adults with a history of childhood maltreatment had greater inflammatory response to the TSST compared to individuals with no maltreatment history (Carpenter et al, 2010). Furthermore, adults with a history of maltreatment showed elevated inflammation levels in the context of depression, daily stressors, or caregiving stress in later life compared to controls (Danese et al, 2008;Gouin et al, 2012;Kiecolt-Glaser et al, 2011).…”

Combined Effect of TLR2 Gene Polymorphism and Early Life Stress On the Age at Onset of Bipolar Disorders

“…Thus, we propose that TLR2 rs3804099 TT genotype carriers may be more susceptible to inflammation-mediated damage induced by early stress with consequent earlier AAO of BD. Early-life trauma is associated with permanent alterations of the immune system, namely development of chronic mild inflammation (CRP) [13] and stronger inflammatory responses (IL-6) subsequently to stress exposures [10]. Inflammation has also been suggested to be involved in the mechanisms underlying the comorbidity between metabolic syndrome and psychiatric disorders and causing premature mortality in individuals with a history of childhood adversity [11,43,44].…”

“…In terms of mechanisms, it is noteworthy that early-life psychosocial stressors, notably emotional and sexual abuses are associated to early AAO [8,9]. Such stressful events are also known to induce acute and chronic immune/inflammatory alterations [10][11][12][13] possibly leading to an increased vulnerability to diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disorders, autoimmunity, cancer and neurodegeneration commonly observed in adults with history of childhood maltreatment [14][15][16][17][18]. Of interest is that elevated C-reactive-protein (CRP), as well as high prevalence of cardiovascular disorders, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension and obesity, are observed in early onset BD [19,20] and that some of these conditions even precede the diagnosis of BD in pediatric patients [20].…”

Correlação dos parâmetros endócrinos e comportamentais em cadelas abandonadas em programa de ressocialização

“…The presence of elevated IL6 at this moment indicates the presence of distress, and it is independent of other cytokine (OHIRA et al, 2013). Individuals who have experienced childhood maltreatment will present higher IL6 levels and; subsequently, suffer more with acute stress (CARPENTER et al, 2010). Physical exercise, as performed by the trained group, improved animals' body condition and reduced the inevitable inflammation of spaying and the variation in IL6 circulating levels (FITZGERALD; MACEY; BRECHT, 2012;HAMER et al, 2012), playing an important role in social reunification, human interaction with docility, and physical condition of the animals (NAS et al, 2011).…”