title: Inhibition of cytotoxicity of chicken granulocytes by serotonin and ketanserin.
abstract: Serotonin (5-HT) has been observed to impair the cytotoxicity of human natural killer (NK) cells. A study has now been made of the effect of 5-HT on the cytotoxic activity of chicken granulocytes. 5-HT at concentrations of 10(-3) to 10(-6) M inhibited the cytotoxicity of chicken granulocytes when added at the onset of the short-term cytotoxicity assay. Ketanserin, a 5-HT2 receptor antagonist, did not reverse the inhibitory effect of 5-HT on chicken granulocyte cytotoxicity. Moreover, ketanserin at concentrations of 5 x 10(-4) to 5 x 10(-7) M inhibited the cytotoxicity mediated by chicken granulocytes. Pretreatment of the effector cells for 2 h with chick fibroblast interferon reduced the inhibition of chicken NK cytotoxicity induced by 5-HT and by ketanserin. These data indicate that, in birds, the neurotransmitter 5-HT serves as a link between the central nervous system and the immune system, and that interferon can modulate the inhibitory effect of 5-HT on the function of cytotoxic granulocytes.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical University, Szeged, Hungary.
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Garssadi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Régely
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mándi
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Béládi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002645:Chickens / Q000276:immunology*; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005347:Fibroblasts; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D007372:Interferons / Q000494:pharmacology; D007650:Ketanserin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D007372:Interferons; D007650:Ketanserin