title: Morphine-promoted survival of CEMx174 cells in early stages of SIV infection in vitro: involvement of the multiple molecular mechanisms.
abstract: Progression of HIV infections to AIDS is a complex process and it differs considerably among individuals infected with HIV, influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Opiates have been implicated to be a cofactor in HIV infections leading to AIDS. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms involved in the effects of opioids on HIV infected immune cells. Cell cycle analysis was carried out by flow cytometry, the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases ERK1 and ERK2 was detected by Western blotting assay, and changes of calcium concentration were monitored by scanning intracellular fluorescence intensity. In response to the treatment with morphine, SIV-infected cells were accumulated in G1 phase. Morphine increased the content of intracellular calcium in a time-dependent manner. In addition, morphine also elevated the levels of PKC activity and phosphorylated ERK1/2. Therefore, it is implicated that the calcium-PKC-MAPK cascade is involved in morphine-prolonged survival of SIV-infected cells in the early stages of virus infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Peking University Health Science Center, Xueyuan Rd 38, Beijing 100083, China.
authors.forename: Ping-Feng
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yan-Sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Dong-Ai
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xin-Hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Shu-Lin
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017209:Apoptosis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology* / Q000821:virology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects*; D002470:Cell Survival; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D009020:Morphine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009294:Narcotics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000472:pathogenicity; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology* / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D009294:Narcotics; D009020:Morphine