title: Ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) limits murine gammaherpesvirus-68 induced monokine expression.
abstract: While Ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, MDMA) has been shown to modulate immune responses, no studies have addressed drug-induced alterations to viral infection. In this study, bone marrow-derived macrophages were exposed to MDMA, then infected with murine gammaherpesvirus-68, and the expression of monokines assessed. MDMA-induced reductions in virus-stimulated monokine mRNA expression were observed in a dose-dependent manner. In particular, IL-6 mRNA expression and secretion was significantly decreased in gammaherpesvirus-infected macrophages exposed to MDMA. Concentrations of MDMA capable of reducing monokine production did not induce significant cell death and allowed normal viral gene expression. These studies represent the first to demonstrate the ability of this drug of abuse to alter a viral-induced macrophage response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA. danelson@uncc.edu
authors.forename: Daniel A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Jamie L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Nirmaier
authors.forename: Sam J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Melanie D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Tolbert
authors.forename: Kenneth L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Bost
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D018142:Gammaherpesvirinae / Q000254:growth & development*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D015846:Monokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D015846:Monokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine