Background: Previous study shows that cellular immunity and family relationships are each correlated with the severity of
depression and suggests that the psycho-immunological theory should look at the relation between immunity and family life. The aim
of the present study based on the same sample is to investigate if similar correlations exist with humoral immunity.
Subjects and method: 498 inpatients with major depressive disorder were enrolled in an open-label trial. In addition to a sociodemographic
questionnaire, they completed Olsen’s FACES III and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). We performed a classic
blood test, a plasma cortisol assay at 8 a.m., 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. and a dexamethasone suppression test (Carroll test). Electrophoresis
is used for separation and quantification of serum proteins.
Results: There is no correlation between humoral immunity and the severity of depression. We found a correlation between
cohesion of the family of the origin and beta-globulins (r=-0.147; p=0.016), and C4 (r=0.124; p=0.039). Between adaptability of the
family of the origin and cortisol levels at 8 a.m. (r=0.122; p=0.008). We showed a correlation between both C4 (r=-0.263; p=0.000)
and beta-globulins (r=-0.148; p=0.013) with CD8. There is a correlation between cortisol at 8 a.m. and CD4 (r=-0.095; p=0.033).
Conclusions: Humoral immunity has no correlation with depression but has multiple interactions with cellular immunity which
is correlate with the severity of the depression. The psycho-immunological theory is reinforced. It is quite original to find correlation
between the family functioning and C4 or beta-globulins while the link with cortisol strengthens some studies about psychological
stress, cortisol and immunity. Future studies should examine which kind of family or relation are implicated and how the family
functioning and immunity could be connected