title: Opioid peptides and immunodysfunction in patients with major depression and anxiety disorders.
abstract: To assess cell-mediated immunity in depression and anxiety disorders and to elucidate whether immunodysfunction might be related to a high opioid activity, a prospective study of patients with major depression (n = 34) or anxiety disorders (n = 21) was performed. Cellular immunity tests, the in vitro effects of naloxone on monocytes, and beta-endorphin plasma levels were investigated. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells and some monocyte parameters were determined by flow cytometry. Natural killer (NK) cell activity was studied by cytotoxicity, gamma-interferon production by a standard bioassay, monocytic phagocytosis by ingestion of Candida albicans and latex, and blastogenesis by stimulation with phytohaemaglutinin. In major depression and anxiety: 1) a marked reduction in the number of monocytes that ingested particles and expressed cytoskeletal intermediate filaments and surface structures (CR1 receptors and HLA-DR antigens); 2) a monocytosis that was not able to normalize the count of functioning monocytes; 3) an in vitro correction of the monocyte dysfunction by naloxone; 4) a decrease in NK cell number and activity; and 6) an anergy to candidin and tuberculin and a diminished lectin-induced blastogenesis were observed. Some of these immune changes correlated closely with plasma beta-endorphin abnormally high in all the cases. In conclusion, a naloxone-reversible monocyte dysfunction, associated to decreased NK activity and cell-mediated hypersensitivity, was found together with high of beta-endorphin plasma levels. In addition, results suggest that these immunological alterations may be useful in the clinical management of patients with these psychiatric diseases.
authors.affiliation: Depto. Fisiología y Nutrición, Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Castilla-Cortázar
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castilla
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gurpegui
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003863:Depression / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D009270:Naloxone; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D007371:Interferon-gamma