title: Opioid receptor agonists and Ca2+ modulation in human B cell lines.
abstract: Opiates and opioid peptides have been shown to modulate lymphocyte functions; however, little attention has been given to the type of receptors or receptor signaling mechanisms that are involved. Receptor-mediated signaling via ionized free Ca2+ is an event thought to be important in the triggering of lymphocyte activities. We report use of the calcium indicator dye, indo-1, and flow cytometry to identify B lymphocyte calcium responses to physiologic concentrations of opioid peptides. The human B cell lines Nalm 6 and JY responded to the naturally occurring opioid pentapeptide methionine-enkephalin or other opiate receptor agonists with a rapid, dose-dependent rise in free cytoplasmic Ca2+. This opioid peptide effect on Ca2+ modulation was inhibited by the opiate receptor antagonist naloxone. The synthetic enkephalin analogue DAMGO with specificity for mu-type opiate receptors and the synthetic opiate receptor agonists U50,488H and U69,593 with selectivity for kappa-type sites also stimulated calcium responses when applied to the B cell lines. These studies provide evidence that human B cell lines express functional opiate receptors of the mu- and kappa-types and suggest that such receptors, coupled with Ca2+ modulation, are instrumental in the B cell response to opiates and endogenous opioid neuropeptides.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Heagy
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Shipp
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Finberg
mesh_terms: D019900:3,4-Dichloro-N-methyl-N-(2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cyclohexyl)-benzeneacetamide, (trans)-Isomer; D000700:Analgesics / Q000494:pharmacology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D044482:Benzeneacetamides; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D020875:Enkephalin, Ala(2)-MePhe(4)-Gly(5)-; D016308:Enkephalin, Leucine-2-Alanine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000494:pharmacology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology; D011759:Pyrrolidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D044482:Benzeneacetamides; D004745:Enkephalins; D011759:Pyrrolidines; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D020875:Enkephalin, Ala(2)-MePhe(4)-Gly(5)-; D009270:Naloxone; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine; D016308:Enkephalin, Leucine-2-Alanine; D019900:3,4-Dichloro-N-methyl-N-(2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cyclohexyl)-benzeneacetamide, (trans)-Isomer; C045444:U 69593; D002118:Calcium