The FASEB Journal, Vol 5, 2194-2199, Copyright © 1991 by The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology

RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

Inhibition of calcium mobilization is an early event in opiate-induced immunosuppression

Y Sei, T McIntyre, E Fride, K Yoshimoto, P Skolnick and PK Arora
Laboratory of Neuroscience, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.

Morphine administered as a subcutaneous implant inhibits the initial increase in cytoplasmic free-calcium [Ca2+]i induced by mitogens in mouse splenocytes. This effect was not reproduced by incubation of splenocytes with morphine (10(-8)-10(-4) M). Analysis of splenocyte subpopulations demonstrates that this effect was manifest in both B and T cells. However, within T cell subpopulations, CD4+ but not CD8+ cells were affected. Adrenalectomy abolished this effect of morphine in CD4+ T but not CD4-, CD8- spleen cells (most likely Thy 1.2- B cells). Moreover, simultaneous administration of the opiate antagonist naltrexone blocked the effect of morphine in CD4-, CD8- spleen cells, but not in CD4+ T cells. These data indicate that the effects of morphine on mitogen-stimulated increase in [Ca2+]i may be mediated through distinct glucocorticoid-dependent and -independent mechanisms. The morphine-induced inhibition of an increase in [Ca2+]i in immune cells reported here may be an early event mediating opiate-induced immunosuppression.

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