title: Interferon-gamma down-regulates transcription of the mu-opioid receptor gene in neuronal and immune cells.
abstract: Earlier investigations demonstrated up-regulated mu-opioid receptor expression in neuronal and immune cells in response to IL-1, IL-4, IL-6 and TNF-alpha. We herein report that mu-opioid receptor expression is down-regulated in SH SY5Y neuroblastoma cells by IFN-gamma, and that IL-4-mediated induction of mu-opioid receptor expression is inhibited in Jurkat T cells by IFN-gamma. Additionally, mu-opioid receptor transcripts were found in IL-4-expressing human primary T helper cells type 2, but not in type 1 cells, which typically express IFN-gamma. This indicates that mu-opioid receptor expression may be altered under conditions like inflammation, viral infections or neurological diseases associated with imbalanced cytokine expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Magdeburg, Leipzigerstr. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany. juergen.kraus@medizin.uni-magdeburg.de
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kraus
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Börner
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Lendeckel
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Höllt
mesh_terms: D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D009447:Neuroblastoma; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu / Q000235:genetics*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma