AUTHOR=Wang Chong , Zhang Teng , He Lei , Fu Ji-Yong , Deng Hong-Xin , Xue Xiao-Ling , Chen Bang-Tao 

TITLE=Bacterial Translocation Associates With Aggression in Schizophrenia Inpatients

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience

VOLUME=Volume 15 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/systems-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnsys.2021.704069

DOI=10.3389/fnsys.2021.704069

ISSN=1662-5137

ABSTRACT=Objective: Accumulating evidence indicates that inflammation abnormalities may contribute to aggression behaviors in psychotic patients, however, the possible sources of inflammation remain elusive. We aimed to evaluate the associations among aggression, inflammation and bacterial translocation (BT) in aggression affected schizophrenia (ScZ) inpatients with 2 weeks of antipsychotics discontinuation. 
Methods: Serum specimens collected from 112 aggression and 112 non-aggression ScZ individuals and 56 healthy adults were used for quantifications of inflammation- or BT-related biomarkers. Aggression severity was assessed by Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS). 
Results: Pro-inflammation phenotype dominated and leaky gut-induced BT occurred only in ScZ cases with history of aggression, and the MOAS score positively related to levels of C-reactive protein, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α. Furthermore, serum levels of BT-derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS), as well as LPS responded soluble CD14, were not only positively correlated with levels of above pro-inflammation mediators, but also the total MOAS score and sub-score for aggression against objects or others. 
Conclusion: Our results collectively demonstrate the presence of leaky gut and further correlate BT-derived LPS and soluble CD14 to onset or severity of aggression possibly by driving pro-inflammation response in ScZ inpatients, which indicates that BT may be a novel anti-inflammation therapeutic target for aggression prophylaxis.