title: Interleukins counteract opioid agonists immunosuppression.
abstract: A centrally acting novel analgesic, PM, added to murine lymphocyte cultures abrogated the mitogenic response to Con A, as well as, interleukin 2 production, in a dose-dependent manner. Simultaneous presence of interleukin 1 (IL-1) and interleukin 2 (IL-2) into the cultures counteracted, in a dose-dependent manner, as naloxone does, the immunosuppressive action of PM as well as of Pethidine, a known opioid agonist. These results show that IL-1 and IL-2 together exhibit classical agonist-antagonist opioid receptor interactions and support the hypothesis that these lymphokines might play a role as endogenous opioid receptor antagonists against endogenous opioid agonists.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Sciences, Aristotelian University, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Karagouni
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hadjipetrou-Kourounakis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008614:Meperidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D009025:Morpholines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007375:Interleukin-1; D007376:Interleukin-2; D009025:Morpholines; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; C059601:2-n-pentyloxy-2-phenyl-4-methylmorpholine; D009270:Naloxone; D008614:Meperidine