title: Corticosterone-independent alteration of lymphocyte mitogenic function by amphetamine.
abstract: Amphetamine, a neural stimulatory agent with acute effects mimicking those of stress, is shown here to elevate plasma corticosterone levels and suppress spleen and peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) mitogenic responses to concanavalin A (Con A) and phytohemagglutinin (PHA) when administered to rats. Pretreatment of the rats with propranolol, a nonselective beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist, totally prevented the amphetamine-induced suppression of lymphocyte mitogenic reactivity to Con A and PHA in the spleen and to PHA in the peripheral blood; however, the PBL mitogenic response to Con A was only partially restored. Although the amphetamine-induced alterations in immune function were prevented by propranolol pretreatment, the elevated plasma corticosterone response was not. This suggests that corticosterone is not modulating the mitogenic activity of splenic lymphocytes or PHA-reactive PBLs. On the other hand, Con A-reactive PBLs may be affected by corticosterone and/or other mechanisms, which may include the catecholamines.
authors.affiliation: Brain, Behavior and Immunity Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pennsylvania 15213.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pezzone
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Rush
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Kusnecov
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Rabin
mesh_terms: D000661:Amphetamine / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation / Q000502:physiology*; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011433:Propranolol / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D003208:Concanavalin A; D011433:Propranolol; D000661:Amphetamine; D003345:Corticosterone