title: Modification of thymic cell subsets induced by long-term cocaine administration during a murine retroviral infection producing AIDS.
abstract: LP-BM5 murine leukemia virus (MuLV) infection and cocaine administration are known to impair the murine immune system. We have developed a murine model to study the effect of daily cocaine administration and retrovirus infection on the lymphoid cell populations of the thymus. C57BL/6 female mice were studied following chronic cocaine administration for 11 weeks with simultaneous LP-BM5 MuLV infection. Cocaine administration reduced body and thymus weight, significantly reduced the number of CD8+ cells in the thymus, and partially prevented thymus enlargement due to lymphoid cell proliferation induced by LP-BM5 MuLV infection. Retrovirus infection was associated with a decrease in the percentage and absolute number of Thy 1.2+, CD4+, and CD8+ cells in the thymus, an effect potentiated by cocaine administration. Therefore cocaine impairs thymic function by altering the number of cells expressing T cell differentiation markers in MAIDS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine, Arizona Health Sciences Center, University of Arizona, Tucson 85724.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Watson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D002452:Cell Count; D003042:Cocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016183:Murine Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D009929:Organ Size; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000382:microbiology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D003042:Cocaine