title: Influence of endogenous opioid systems on T lymphocytes as assessed by the knockout of mu, delta and kappa opioid receptors.
abstract: Here, we evaluated the influence of endogenous opioid activation on immune responses by examining consequences of all three opioid receptor gene (mu, delta and kappa) inactivation. In triple-opioid receptor knockout mice, splenocytes and thymocytes numbers, lymphocyte subsets as well as proliferation and cytokines induced by in vitro stimulation of T lymphocytes were measured. Compared with wild-type mice, similar lymphocyte distribution in thymus and spleen as well as comparable T lymphocyte proliferation were observed, while lower levels of IL-2 and IFNγ as well as higher levels of IL-4 and IL-10 were found in triple-opioid receptor knockout mice. Together, our results indicate a shift from TH1 to TH2 cytokines in triple-opioid receptor knockout animals, suggesting that global endogenous opioid tone drives T lymphocytes toward a TH1 profile under non-pathological conditions.
authors.affiliation: IGBMC Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Strasbourg, 1 Rue Laurent Fries, BP10142, 67404 Illkirch, France.
authors.forename: Ali G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Karaji
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Reiss
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matifas
authors.forename: Brigitte L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Kieffer
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gavériaux-Ruff
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D018847:Opioid Peptides / Q000276:immunology*; D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D017473:Receptors, Opioid, kappa / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D018847:Opioid Peptides; D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta; D017473:Receptors, Opioid, kappa; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu