Morphine-induced immune alterations in vivo.
The high incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seropositivity among drug abusers prompted us to examine in an animal model the effects of morphine on aspects of the immune system that may be specifically related to HIV infection. We now report a robust, sustained elevation in the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ cells in the spleen and thymus of mice chronically treated with morphine. Since CD4+ cells have been reported to be target cells for HIV, these alterations, in concert with a marked cellular atrophy that appears to be restricted to organs of the immune system, suggest that opiates may serve as cofactors in altering the immune status of the host and thus contribute to the increased susceptibility to HIV infection and eventual development of AIDS in opiate abusers.
Arora
P K
PK
Laboratory of Neuroscience, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
Fride
E
E
Petitto
J
J
Waggie
K
K
Skolnick
P
P
D000818:Animals; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D002452:Cell Count; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology; D007107:Immune System / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009020:Morphine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D009020:Morphine