Effects of IL-6/IL-6R axis alterations in serum, plasma and cerebrospinal fluid with the schizophrenia: an updated review and meta-analysis of 58 studies

• Published in: Molecular and cellular biochemistry Vol. 479; no. 3; pp. 525 - 537
• Main Authors: González-Castro, Thelma Beatriz, Tovilla-Zárate, Carlos Alfonso, Juárez-Rojop, Isela Esther, Hernández-Díaz, Yazmín, López-Narváez, María Lilia, Ortiz-Ojeda, Rosa Felicita
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-03-2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cancer Research; Cardiology; Cerebrospinal fluid; Cytokines; Ethnicity; Humans; Immune system; Interleukin 6; Life Sciences; Medical Biochemistry; Mental disorders; Meta-analysis; Plasma; Proteins; Quality assessment; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenia - cerebrospinal fluid; Schizophrenia; Association; Receptor; Interleukin; Cytokine
• ISSN: 0300-8177; 1573-4919
• DOI: 10.1007/s11010-023-04747-7

Studies investigating the association between IL-6/IL-6R axis and schizophrenia (SZ) susceptibility found inconsistent data. To reconcile the results, a systematic review followed by a meta-analysis was performed to assess the associations. This study followed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. A comprehensive search of the literature was carried out in July 2022 using electronic databases PubMed, EBSCO, Science Direct, PsychInfo, and Scopus. Study quality was assessed by the Newcastle–Ottawa scale. Pooled standard mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated by fixed-effect or random-effect model analysis. Fifty-eight studies were identified, including 4,200 SZ patients and 4,531 controls. Our meta-analysis results showed an increase of IL-6 levels in plasma, serum, or CSF and decreased IL-6R levels in serum in patients under treatment. Further studies are needed to better elucidate the correlation between the IL-6/IL-6R axis and the schizophrenia.