title: Suppression of natural killer cell activity by morphine is mediated by the nucleus accumbens shell.
abstract: Despite a wealth of data indicating that morphine modulates immune status by acting at mu-opioid receptors in the brain, there is little known about how the opioid system interacts with other neurotransmitter systems to modulate specific immune parameters. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether dopaminergic projections to the nucleus accumbens are involved in morphine-induced suppression of splenic natural killer (NK) cell activity. The results indicate that administration of the dopamine D1 antagonist SCH-23390 into the nucleus accumbens shell, but not core, blocked morphine's suppressive effect on NK activity in male Lewis rats. In support of these findings, the effect of morphine was also prevented by intra-accumbens microinfusions of the dopaminergic immunotoxin anti-DAT-saporin. Additionally, administration of the D1 agonist SKF-38393 into the nucleus accumbens shell produced reductions in splenic NK activity comparable to morphine, suggesting a critical role for D1 receptors in the modulation of NK activity. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that dopaminergic inputs to the nucleus accumbens are critically involved in opioid-induced immunosuppression and suggest that opioid-induced increases in D1 receptor activation may have adverse consequences on immune status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology Davie Hall, CB#3270 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3270, USA. tim@unc.edu
authors.forename: Timothy B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Saurer
authors.forename: Kelly A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Carrigan
authors.forename: Stephanie G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Ijames
authors.forename: Donald T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Lysle
mesh_terms: D015647:2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-benzazepine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001552:Benzazepines / Q000494:pharmacology; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008845:Microinjections; D009020:Morphine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000378:metabolism; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D020891:Raclopride / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D017447:Receptors, Dopamine D1 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D001552:Benzazepines; D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D017447:Receptors, Dopamine D1; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D020891:Raclopride; D015647:2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-benzazepine; D009020:Morphine