Lymphocytic 5'-ectonucleotidase : a marker of psychological stress-induced immune suppression / Jane Blake-Mortimer.

Abstract

Lymphocyte 5'-ectonucleotidase (NT) was selected as a mechanism to explain the phenomenon of stress-induced immunosuppression. The findings indicates that NT is a good marker of stress induced immune suppression and correlates negatively with depression scores such as the Beck Depression Inventory, and psychological distress as measured by the TMD scores, and STAI-trait. The suppression of NT appears to be mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS), and is consistent with the finding of normal NT levels in melancholic patients with high antioxidant intake, the heightened inflammatory responses, the low levels of zinc, the low ascorbate stores, and the down regulation of glucocorticoid receptors reported to occur in stress/depressed patients.