title: Corticotropin-releasing hormone augments natural killer cell activity through a naloxone-sensitive pathway.
abstract: Overnight treatment of murine leukocytes with corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and arginine vasopressin enhances natural killer cell activity. Moreover, the opioid receptor antagonist, naloxone, as well as the delta-class opioid receptor antagonist, naltrindole, can block this effect. The responsivity of murine leukocytes to CRH is both dose- and time-dependent. The effector cells are both MAC-1 and Thy-1.2 antigen-positive. Whereas beta-endorphin is also shown to enhance natural killer cell activity in a naloxone-reversible manner, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) has a negligible effect. Macrophage depletion prior to incubation with CRH blocks the CRH-induced natural killer cell augmentation. These results suggest hypothalamic-releasing hormones such as CRH may have a biologically relevant role in the modulation of immune cells either directly or indirectly through the induction of neuropeptide hormones known to have immunomodulatory capabilities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Alabama, Birmingham 35294.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: DeCosta
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Jacobson
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Blalock
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D007700:Kinetics; D008264:Macrophages / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010641:Phenotype; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000502:physiology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D009270:Naloxone; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone