Stress-induced decline in immune responsiveness in C3H/HeJ mice: relation to endocrine alterations and tumor growth.
We examined the effect of rotation-induced stress on (1) growth of lymphosarcoma tumors; (2) interleukin-2 (IL-2) production; (3) T cell subset distribution; and (4) cytotoxic T cell (CTL) function. In addition, we examined the levels of corticosterone and beta-endorphin as possible mediators of stress-induced immune alterations. Rotation stress induced progressive lymphosarcoma growth, while unstressed mice showed tumor regression after 2 weeks of growth. IL-2 production and CTL activity in stressed animals were significantly lower than controls during the first 2 weeks after initiation of stress. Spleen lymphocytes from stressed and control mice bearing the L3T4 antigen (helper/inducer T cell marker) remained unchanged, while in peripheral blood such cells decreased in stressed but not control animals. This latter pattern was also observed in Lyt 2 positive (suppressor/cytotoxic) cells of both spleen and peripheral blood. Corticosterone levels were elevated for an extended period following initiation of stress, while beta-endorphin levels remained similar to those of the controls. Although these data do not directly establish a causal link between immunoinhibition and tumor growth, they clearly demonstrate that stress inhibits a number of cell-mediated immune functions that may be relevant in this regard.
Kandil
O
O
Department of Anatomy and Cellular Biology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111.
Borysenko
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M
D000818:Animals; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D007107:Immune System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
D007376:Interleukin-2; D003345:Corticosterone