[Interferon production and lymphoproliferation in whole blood of schizophrenia patients].

Using a whole blood assay the activity of the interferon system and mitogen-induced lymphoproliferation were tested in schizophrenic patients and normal individuals. Leucocytes of the patients produced significantly less interferon than controls after stimulation with the alpha interferon inducers Corynebacterium parvum (CP) or Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and with the gamma interferon inducers PHA and Con A. Differences in the lymphoproliferation test were also measured. Significantly lower responses of the patients were observed when using PHA and Con A as mitogens.