title: Evidence for a delta-class opioid receptor on cells of the immune system.
abstract: Opioid receptors have been reported to be present on cells of the immune system. Both opioid receptor-ligand interactions which are reversible by naloxone (classical) and those interactions which are irreversible by naloxone (nonclassical) appear to alter various immunologic parameters through the ligand-receptor interactions. In an effort to characterize opioid receptors (which operate with classical interactions) on cells of the immune system, we employed the delta-class opioid receptor-specific ligand, cis-(+)-3-methylfentanylisothiocyanate (SUPERFIT). We herein report the specific labeling of a protein with a molecular weight of 70,000 Da under reducing conditions (58,000 Da under nonreducing conditions) from both B and T cell-enriched murine splenocytes and peripheral blood lymphocytes. Similar results are demonstrated by human peripheral blood lymphocytes and plastic-adherent (monocyte-enriched) leukocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Alabama, Birmingham 35294.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
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; D005283:Fentanyl / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D008024:Ligands; D051379:Mice; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000032:analysis*; D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta; C046222:3-methylfentanyl isothiocyanate; D005283:Fentanyl