Differential immune responsiveness in mouse lines selectively bred for high and low sensitivity to ethanol.
Natural killer cell activity was compared in the Long-Sleep and Short-Sleep mouse lines. These mice, initially selected for their sensitivities to a hypnotic dose of ethanol, are also differentially sensitive to other agents which act through the benzodiazepine/GABA receptor chloride ionophore complex. Natural killer cell activity was 40-59% lower in Short-Sleep when compared to Long-Sleep mice. Flow cytofluorometric analysis demonstrated that the number of Nk-1+ cells was also lower in the spleens of Short-Sleep than Long-Sleep mice. In addition, the incidence of 3-methylcholanthrene-induced tumors was significantly greater in Short-Sleep (85.7%) than in Long-Sleep (14.3%) mice. These results suggest that the Long-Sleep and Short-Sleep mouse lines may represent a unique model to assess the physiological role of the benzodiazepine/GABA receptor chloride ionophore complex in the neural modulation of immune function.
Petitto
J M
JM
Laboratory of Neuroscience, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
McIntyre
T D
TD
McRae
B L
BL
Skolnick
P
P
Arora
P K
PK
D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007107:Immune System / Q000187:drug effects*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D008748:Methylcholanthrene / Q000633:toxicity; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H / Q000276:immunology*; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
D000431:Ethanol; D008748:Methylcholanthrene