title: Immunomodulative effects of some drugs of abuse on human peripheral blood lymphocytes.
abstract: The cytotoxic effects of opiates, cocaine and their metabolites on peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy volunteers, concerning cell viability, were studied in a wide range of concentrations (ranging from 10-(2) to 10-(8) M), by 2 colorimetric in vitro assays, the neutral red uptake assay and thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide assay. All tested drugs of abuse and their metabolites were non-cytotoxic at concentrations lower than 10-(5) M. The possible immunomodulative effects of these substances were evaluated through phytohemagglutinin-induced lymphocyte proliferation ([3H]-thymidine DNA incorporation assay) as well as by a 51Cr release natural killer assay. The results showed immunomodulative effects of all the opiates tested. Cocaine, freebase cocaine and benzoylecgonine produced a statistically non-significant decrease of phytohemagglutinin proliferation. Cocaine induced a statistically non-significant increase, whereas freebase cocaine and benzoylecgonine showed a non-significant decrease of natural killer cell activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maravelias
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dona
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Athanaselis
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Koutsogeorgopoulou
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koutselinis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003124:Colorimetry; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000633:toxicity*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D009499:Neutral Red / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D009499:Neutral Red; C022616:thiazolyl blue