title: Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (Ecstasy) decreases neutrophil activity and alters leukocyte distribution in bone marrow, spleen and blood.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Looking for possible neuroimmune relationships, we analyzed the effects of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) administration on neuroendocrine, neutrophil activity and leukocyte distribution in mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five experiments were performed. In the first, mice were treated with MDMA (10 mg/kg) 30, 60 min and 24 h prior to blood sample collection for neutrophil activity analysis. In the second experiment, the blood of naïve mice was collected and incubated with MDMA for neutrophil activity in vitro analysis. In the third and fourth experiments, mice were injected with MDMA (10 mg/kg) and 60 min later, blood and brain were collected to analyze corticosterone serum levels and hypothalamic noradrenaline (NA) levels and turnover. In the last experiment, mice were injected with MDMA 10 mg/kg and 60 min later, blood, bone marrow and spleen were collected for leukocyte distribution analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results showed an increase in hypothalamic NA turnover and corticosterone serum levels 60 min after MDMA (10 mg/kg) administration, a decrease in peripheral blood neutrophil oxidative burst and a decrease in the percentage and intensity of neutrophil phagocytosis. It was further found that MDMA (10 mg/kg) treatment also altered leukocyte distribution in blood, bone marrow and spleen. In addition, no effects were observed for MDMA after in vitro exposure both in neutrophil oxidative burst and phagocytosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effects of MDMA administration (10 mg/kg) on neutrophil activity and leukocyte distribution might have been induced indirectly through noradrenergic neurons and/or hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Viviane Ferraz
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: de Paula
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Milena L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Pinheiro
authors.forename: Mônica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Mariana C R
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lacava
authors.forename: Silvio F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Lapachinske
authors.forename: Regina L M
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Moreau
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Palermo-Neto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D007109:Immunity / Q000187:drug effects*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D012157:Mononuclear Phagocyte System / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D016897:Respiratory Burst / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D006213:Hallucinogens; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine; D003345:Corticosterone; D009638:Norepinephrine