Chronic exposure to morphine attenuates expression of interleukin-1 beta in the rat hippocampus.
The cytokine, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), can modulate both immune and neuroendocrine events. Alteration of IL-1 beta expression by exogenous factors, such as morphine, may affect the neuro-endocrine-immune axis. Brain sections from male rats implanted with either morphine or placebo pellets were stained for IL-1 beta immunoreactivity. The results showed pronounced attenuation of IL-1 beta immuno-reactivity in the dentate gyrus and the CA1-CA3 fields of the hippocampus in morphine-implanted rats compared to placebo controls. It has been suggested that the hippocampus is involved in the regulation of hypothalamic activity. Attenuation of IL-1 beta expression in the hippocampus by chronic exposure to morphine may be one of the mechanisms underlying the neuro-endocrine-immune modulatory effects of opiate addiction.
Patel
N A
NA
Department of Biology, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ 07079, USA.
Romero
A A
AA
Zadina
J E
JE
Chang
S L
SL
D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D009020:Morphine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009294:Narcotics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D007375:Interleukin-1; D009294:Narcotics; D009020:Morphine