title: Role of corticosterone in the enhancement of the antibody response after acute cocaine administration.
abstract: A model has been developed in which acute cocaine administration results in an enhanced T-dependent antibody response to sheep erythrocytes. This enhancement occurs when cocaine (30 mg/kg, twice in 1 day) is administered 1 or 2 days before sensitization with antigen, in mice older than 16 wk. Acute cocaine has been shown to elicit a rise in serum corticosterone, and the administration of exogenous corticosterone, under similar conditions as cocaine, also results in a similar immunoenhancement. Further evidence in support of a role by corticosterone is the lack of an enhancement in adrenalectomized mice and the ability of alpha-helical corticotropin releasing factor to block the enhancement by cocaine. The role of concomitant epinephrine release from the adrenal was addressed by adrenal demedullation. Eliminating epinephrine, but not corticosterone release, had no effect on the cocaine-induced immunoenhancement. The evidence presented provides support for a major role by corticosterone in mediating cocaine's effects on at least one measure of immune function, the T-dependent antibody response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA.
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Stanulis
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Matulka
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Jordan
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Rosecrans
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Holsapple
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects*; D003042:Cocaine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000502:physiology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D003042:Cocaine; D003345:Corticosterone