Effects of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabinol and cannabidiol on the immune system in mice. II. In vitro investigation using cultured mouse splenocytes.
The effects of the cannabinoids, delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabinol (CBN) and cannabidiol (CBD), on the primary-like immune response were investigated in primary cultures of mouse splenocytes. Splenocyte cultures were stimulated with sheep erythrocytes in vitro and incubated with cannabinoids for the first 24 h after antigenic stimulation (prior to initiation of DNA synthesis), from 24 h to 6 days after antigenic stimulation, and for the entire 5-day period. THC (1 and 5 microM) and CBD (5 microM) depressed the primary-like immune response of stimulated mouse splenocytes when incubated for the first 24 h after antigenic stimulation and the entire 6-day culture period. CBN did not show any measurable suppression of the primary-like immune response. Treatment of splenocyte cultures with cannabinoids after the first 24 h after antigenic stimulation showed no impairment of the in vitro primary-like immune response.
D000818:Animals; D002185:Cannabidiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002187:Cannabinol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D013759:Dronabinol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006462:Hemolytic Plaque Technique; D007109:Immunity / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology
D002186:Cannabinoids; D002185:Cannabidiol; D013759:Dronabinol; D002187:Cannabinol