title: Cocaine/sex type effects on T lymphocytes: a preliminary report.
abstract: The influence of gender on the effects of cocaine (5 or 40 mg/kg) on immune function of sexually immature (35-day-old) C57BL/6J mice was assessed. The proliferation of T cells in thymus and spleen stimulated with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin-A(Con-A) was determined by 3H thymidine incorporation 24 hours after cocaine injections. The drug produced a dose-dependent reduction (25-51%) of Con-A and PHA-stimulated T cell proliferation in thymus from both male and female mice. Additionally, the impairment occurred at a lower cocaine dose for female than for male mice when the T cells were challenged with PHA. Under the experimental conditions, cocaine did not alter weights or cell numbers of thymus and spleen or T cell proliferation in spleen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina Charleston 29425-0742, USA.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Tyor
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Middaugh
authors.forename: W O
authors.initials: WO
authors.lastname: Boggan
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D003042:Cocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009294:Narcotics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D009294:Narcotics; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D003208:Concanavalin A; D003042:Cocaine