[Changes of the immune cells, cytokines and growth hormone in teenager drug addicts].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of heroin on the immune function, growth and development in the teenager heroin addicts by measuring their T-lymphocyte subsets, Th1/Th2 cytokines and serum growth hormone.


METHODS
Tlymphocyte subsets of peripheral blood from the teenager heroin addicts were measured by direct microvolume whole blood immunofluorescent staining technique by flow cytometer (FCM). Thl / Th2 cytokines were measured by BD cytometric bead array and serum growth hormone was assayed using the chemiluminescence method in the 20 teenager heroin addicts and 23 healthy teenagers.


RESULTS
The levels of CD3(+), CD3(+) + CD4(+), CD3(+) + CD4(+)/CD3(+)+ CD8(+), Th1 cytokines(IL-2, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma) and Th2 cytokines(IL-4 and IL-10) reduced significantly in the teenager heroin addicts compared with the healthy control group (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). The level of Th1 cytokines(IL-2 + TNF-alpha+IFN-gamma) decreased more than that of Th2 cytokines(IL-4 + IL-5 + IL-10)(P < 0.05). The level of serum growth hormone from the teenager heroin addicts was remarkably higher than that in control group (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Heroin can inhibit the immunofunction especially the celluar immunity of the teenager heroin addicts. Besides, it can increase the level of serum growth hormone of the teenager heroin addicts.
Kuang
Ying-min
YM
Department of Transplant, the First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical College, Kunming 650032, China.
Zhu
Yue-chun
YC
Kuang
Ying
Y
Sun
Yuan
Y
Hua
Chen
C
He
Wen-yi
WY
D000293:Adolescent; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D003932:Heroin / Q000633:toxicity*; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000378:metabolism