title: Morphine modulates lymph node-derived T lymphocyte function: role of caspase-3, -8, and nitric oxide.
abstract: The major objective of this paper is to characterize the mechanism by which morphine modulates lymphocyte function and if these effects are mediated through the mu-opioid receptor. We evaluated the in vitro effects of morphine on lymphocytes that were freshly isolated from lymph nodes from wild type (WT) and mu-opioid receptor knock-out (MORKO) mice. Results show that morphine inhibits Con A-induced lymph node T-cell proliferation and IL-2 and IFN-gamma synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. This effect was abolished in lymph node cells isolated from MORKO mice. The inhibition of T-cell function with low-dose morphine was associated with an increase in caspase-3- and caspase-8-mediated apoptosis. The inhibition of T-cell function with high-dose morphine was associated with an increase in the inducible NO synthase mRNA expression. N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) antagonized the apoptosis induced by high-dose morphine. Our results suggest that low-dose morphine, through the mu-opioid receptor, can induce lymph node lymphocyte apoptosis through the cleavage activity of caspase-3 and caspase-8. Morphine at high doses induces NO release. This effect of morphine is also mediated through the mu-opioid receptor present on the surface of macrophages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Charboneau
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Balasubramanian
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Barke
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Loh
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D053148:Caspase 3; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D009020:Morphine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496317:Nos2 protein, mouse; C505409:Casp3 protein, mouse; C505526:Casp8 protein, mouse; C506434:Casp9 protein, mouse; D053148:Caspase 3; D053181:Caspase 8; D053453:Caspase 9; D020169:Caspases; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester