ObjectiveTo explore the changes of the levels of cytokines in patients with first-episode depression and the effect on the levels of cytokines after the treatment with duloxetine.MethodsThe serum levels of interleukin 1 ( IL-1 ),interleukin 6 ( IL-6 ),tumor necrosis factor-alpha ( TNF-αt ),interleukin4 ( IL-4 ),interleukin10(IL-10) were measured in 38 patients with depression before and after duloxetine treatment by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).HAMD score were assessed at pre- treatment and post-treatment to assess curative effect.The control group was 30 healthy individuals.All data were statisticaly analyzed by SPSS.ResultsBefore treatment,the HAMD score and the levels of serum IL-6,TNF-α,IL-1 in first-episode depressant patients were remarkablely higher than those in the control group( IL-6:( 10.66 ± 3.12 ) pg/ml vs (2.72 ± 0.91 ) pg/ml ;TNF-α:(77.49 ±3.12) pg/ml vs (37.48 ±5.87) pg/ml; IL-1:(39.09 ± 3.77 ) pg/ml vs ( 10.31 ± 1.05 ) pg/ml ),the levels of serum IL-4 and IL-10 in first-episode depressant patients were remarkablely lower than those in the control group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01 ).The HAMD score and the levels of serum IL-6,TNF-α,IL-1 in post-treatment were remarkablely lower than pre-treatment (P ＜ 0.05 ),but which were still higher than the control group(P＜ 0.05 ).The levels of serum IL-4 and IL-10 in post-treatment were remarkablely increased than pre-treatment(P＜0.05).The levels of serum IL-6,TNF-α,IL-1 were positively correlated with the HAMD score( r =0.667,0.486,0.727,P ＜0.01 ),but the levels of serum IL-4 and IL-10 were negatively correlated with the HAMD scorae ( r=-0.433,-0.269,P＜0.05,P＜ 0.01 ).ConclusionsThe first-episode depressant patients show immune disorder induced by cytokines.Anti-depressant activity of duloxetine may participate in the regulation of cytokines and Th1/Th2 unbalance.