Marijuana components stimulate human peripheral blood mononuclear cell secretion of interferon-gamma and suppress interleukin-1 alpha in vitro.
We investigated the in vitro effects of both psychoactive and nonpsychoactive marijuana components on leukocyte secretion of the immunoregulatory cytokines interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF), interferon-gamma (IFN) and interleukin-2 (IL-2). Psychoactive delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and nonpsychoactive cannabidiol (CBD) were added to cultures of mitogen-activated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and the concentrations of IL-1, TNF, IFN and IL-2 in culture supernatants were measured by ELISA systems. Concentrations of THC and CBD, comparable to plasma levels found after smoking marijuana (10-100 ng/ml), increased the concentration of measurable IFN (139 and 68%), while high concentrations of both cannabinoids (5-20 micrograms/ml) completely blocked synthesis and/or release of this cytokine. CBD was also shown to decrease the measurable quantity of both IL-1 and TNF. In contrast to the effects on IFN, IL-1 and TNF, both cannabinoids, had no effect on IL-2 secretion. This report suggests that both psychoactive and nonpsychoactive components of marijuana are immunomodulating and can potentially alter cytokine secretion of human PBMC.
Watzl
B
B
Department of Family and Community Medicine, Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson.
Scuderi
P
P
Watson
R R
RR
D000328:Adult; D002185:Cannabidiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D013759:Dronabinol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D007375:Interleukin-1; D007376:Interleukin-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002185:Cannabidiol; D013759:Dronabinol; D007371:Interferon-gamma