title: Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; Ecstasy) suppresses IL-1beta and TNF-alpha secretion following an in vivo lipopolysaccharide challenge.
abstract: In this study we examined the effects of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) administration on responsiveness to an in vivo immune challenge with lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 100 microg/kg; i.p.). LPS produced an increase in circulating IL-1beta and TNF-alpha in control animals. MDMA (20 mg/kg; i.p.) significantly impaired LPS-induced IL-1beta and TNF-alpha secretion. The suppressive effect of MDMA on IL-1beta secretion was transient and returned to control levels within 3 hours of administration. In contrast, the MDMA-induced suppression of TNF-alpha secretion was evident for up to 12 hours following administration. In a second study we examined the effect of co-administration of MDMA (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg; i.p.) on LPS-induced IL-1beta and TNF-alpha secretion, and demonstrated that all three doses potently suppressed LPS-induced TNF-alpha secretion, but only MDMA 10 and 20 mg/kg suppressed LPS-induced IL-1beta secretion. In addition, serum MDMA concentrations displayed a dose-dependent increase, with the concentrations achieved following administration of 5 and 10 mg/kg being in the range reported in human MDMA abusers. In order to examine the possibility that the suppressive effect of MDMA on IL-1beta and TNF-alpha could be due to a direct effect of the drug on immune cells, the effect of in vitro exposure to MDMA on IL-1beta and TNF-alpha production in LPS-stimulated diluted whole blood was evaluated. However IL-1beta or TNF-alpha production were not altered by in vitro exposure to MDMA. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that acute MDMA administration impairs IL-1beta and TNF-alpha secretion following an in vivo LPS challenge, and that TNF-alpha is more sensitive to the suppressive effects of MDMA than is IL-1beta. However the suppressive effect of MDMA on IL-1beta and TNF-alpha could not be attributed to a direct effect on immune cells. The relevance of these findings to MDMA-induced immunomodulation is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, National University of Ireland, Galway. thomas.connor@nuigalway.ie
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Connor
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McGee
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Leonard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006213:Hallucinogens; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007375:Interleukin-1; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine