12 May 2008

Can Prozac fight HIV?

Today’s Independent carries an article stating that researchers have found that antidepressant drugs may help the immune system fight serious illness.


Apparently antidepressants work (in this case, rather than fighting depression) by enhancing the activity of natural killer cells, key elements of the immune system, and could help the body combat infections. Natural killer (NK) cells are white blood cells which home in on infected or cancerous cells, releasing agents that induce apoptosis, or "cell suicide". NK cells are especially active against viruses.


The research emerged from findings that stress and depression impair NK cell function and can accelerate the progress of HIV/ Aids. Scientists recruited depressed and non-depressed HIV-positive women and treated them with three drugs to treat stress and depression. Two, Citalopram and the "substance P antagonist" CP-96345 increased NK cell activity (Substance P is a neurotransmitter involved in mediating pain reception in the Central Nervous System. It is also involved in the regulation of mood, anxiety and stress). The abortifectant RU486 had no effect.


The study leader, Dr Dwight Evans of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, said: "The findings show that natural killer cell function in HIV infection may be enhanced by selective serotonin re-uptake inhibition and substance P antagonism."


This is fascinating research but like so many of other findings it remains to be seen if it will have a clinical application. Still the residual neurophysiologist in me is quite fascinated by such developments!

5 comments:

Liz Hinds said...

"killer cell function in HIV infection may be enhanced by selective serotonin re-uptake inhibition and substance P antagonism"

Why do scientists always seem to talk in double negatives? In sentences that need translating? To me anyway.

jams o donnell said...

There is a method in the madness Liz. In a synapse the neurotransmitter can have opposing effects. It binds to one receptor and itcauses the transmission to continue in the next nerve fibre, aniother receptor will dampen down the effect. Noradrenaline has different receptors in different nerves which have very different effectsso - The jargon is not meant to confuse as such.

Hm I probably haven't explained that very well but then it is 24 years since my BSc in Physiology and Biochemistry!

CherryPie said...

What a fascinating study. I have always noticed that when people are low they succumb to ilnesses more easily. I think there is a lot to be explored here.

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

It is interesting and it is true that when you are low, you sometimes just can't fight illness. Let's hope some positive treatment comes out of this study.

jams o donnell said...

Cherie, Welshcakes, the mind and out moods do certainly have an affect on our ability to fight disease. A certain part of our health is truly in our mind.