title: Suppression of splenic T lymphocyte proliferation by acute cocaine administration.
abstract: We have recently demonstrated that cocaine administration has a limited effect on mitogen-stimulated T lymphocyte proliferation. The present study investigated the effect of cocaine on splenic T cell response to alloantigens. Rats received intraperitoneal injections of cocaine HCI, and splenocytes were isolated either thirty minutes or three hours post-administration. In the thirty minute exposure group, cocaine at 10.0 and 25.0 mg/Kg/B.Wt. suppressed (p<0.05) T cell proliferation in mixed lymphocyte cultures. Compared to control data, proliferation was decreased by 46.6% and 56.4%, respectively. However, this effect was not as pronounced in cells isolated three hours post-administration, indicating a transient inhibition of T cell function by cocaine. The decrease in splenic T cell proliferation in response to alloantigens in the thirty minute exposure group did not reflect alterations in calcium influx or IL-2 production. Although this study did not ascertain the exact mechanism of inhibition, these results demonstrate that short-term cocaine exposure can alter T cell reactivity to alloantigens, suggesting a reduction in the functional status of these cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology-Toxicology, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282 USA.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Piccotti
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Brissette-Storkus
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Chambers
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Bricker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects*; D003042:Cocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D003042:Cocaine; D002118:Calcium