title: Cocaine-mediated suppression of superoxide production by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
abstract: Cocaine, like opiates, modulates a variety of immune functions. In the present study, we investigated the effect of cocaine on superoxide anion (O2-) production, an index of a microbicidal activity, by cultured human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Release of O2- was measured by superoxide dismutase-inhibitable reduction of ferricytochrome C in response to phorbol myristate acetate. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells cultured in the presence of cocaine (1 microM) for 48 hr released less (P less than .05) O2- than did nontreated control cells (95.1 +/- 10.2 vs. 57.9 +/- 6.6 nmol/10(7) cells/60 min, respectively). This suppressive effect was dose-dependent. Antibodies to transforming growth factor-beta, a cytokine inhibitory of monocyte O2- production, abrogated (P less than .01) cocaine-mediated suppression, suggesting that transforming growth factor-beta is involved in the suppression. Also, naloxone blocked (P less than .01) the suppressive effects of both cocaine and transforming growth factor-beta on O2- production, suggesting that the suppressive mechanism is naloxone-sensitive.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Molitor
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gekker
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Murtaugh
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Peterson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003042:Cocaine / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D013481:Superoxides; D009270:Naloxone; D003042:Cocaine