Immunomodulatory effects of fluoxetine : a new potential pharmacological action for a classic antidepressant drug?

• Autores: Di Rosso, María Emilia; Palumbo, María Laura; Genaro, Ana María
• Año de publicación: 2016
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: artículo
• Fuente: Pharmacological Research. 2016;109:101-107
• Materia: ANTIDEPRESIVOS; DEPRESION; SISTEMA INMUNOLOGICO; SEROTONINA
• Institución: Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina

Fil: Di Rosso, María Emilia. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas; Argentina
Fil: Di Rosso, María Emilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina
Fil: Palumbo, María Laura. Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; Argentina
Fil: Palumbo, María Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina
Fil: Genaro, Ana María. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas; Argentina
Fil: Genaro, Ana María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina
Fil: Genaro, Ana María. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Departamento de Farmacología; Argentina
Abstract: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are frequently used antidepressants. In particular, fluoxetine is usually chosen for the treatment of the symptoms of depression, obsessive-compulsive, panic attack and bulimia nervosa. Antidepressant therapy has been associated with immune dysfunction. However, there is contradictory evidence about the effect of fluoxetine on the immune system. Experimental findings indicate that lymphocytes express the serotonin transporter. Moreover it has been shown that fluoxetine is able to modulate the immune function through a serotonin-dependent pathway and through a novel independent mechanism. In addition, several studies have shown that fluoxetine can alter tumor cell viability. Thus, it was recently demonstrated in vivo that chronic fluoxetine treatment inhibits tumor growth by increasing antitumor T-cell activity. Here we briefly review some of the literature referring to how fluoxetine is able to modify, for better or worse, the functionality of the immune system. These results of our analysis point to the relevance of the novel pharmacological action of this drug as an immunomodulator helping to treat several pathologies in which immune deficiency and/or deregulation is present.