The brain and the immune system: an intact immune system is essential for the manifestation of withdrawal in opiate addicted rats.
Gamma irradiation (500 rad) is often used to suppress the immune system in mice, rats and man. Recently, it was shown that irradiation prior to chronic morphine treatment, dramatically reduces the severity of naloxone-precipitated withdrawal in morphine-dependent animals. In the present study adoptive transfer of 2-6 x 10(8) splenocytes to irradiated rats prior to chronic morphine treatment restored the severity of all withdrawal signs precipitated by naloxone. In contrast, adoptive transfer of fractionated splenocyte subpopulations only partially restored withdrawal severity; and transfer of irradiated splenocytes, red blood cells or diluted numbers of normal splenocytes did not have any observed restorative effect. These findings suggest that specific cellular activities or factors derived from lymphoid cells are required for the expression of opiate withdrawal.
Dougherty
P M
PM
Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Texas Medical School Houston 77225.
Pellis
N R
NR
Dafny
N
N
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D005720:Gamma Rays; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology*; D007121:Immunocompetence; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation
D009270:Naloxone