title: Opioid maintenance therapy restores CD4+ T cell function by normalizing CD4+CD25(high) regulatory T cell frequencies in heroin user.
abstract: There is an increasing body of evidence that heroin addiction is associated with severe alterations in immune function, which might contribute to an increased risk to contract infectious diseases like hepatitis B and C or HIV. However, the impact of heroin consumption on the CD4(+) T cell compartment is not well understood. Therefore, we analyzed the frequency and functional phenotype of CD4(+) T cells as well as immune-suppressive CD4(+)CD25(high) regulatory T cells (Tregs) isolated from the peripheral blood of opiate addicts currently abusing heroin (n=27) in comparison to healthy controls (n=25) and opiate addicts currently in opioid maintenance treatment (OMT; n=27). Interestingly, we detected a significant increase in the percentage of CD4(+)CD25(high) Tregs in the peripheral blood of heroin addicted patients in contrast to patients in OMT. The proliferative response of CD4(+) T cells upon stimulation with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies was significantly decreased in heroin users, but could be restored by depletion of CD25(high) regulatory T cells from CD4(+) T cells to similar values as observed from healthy controls and patients in OMT. These results suggest that impaired immune responses observed in heroin users are related to the expansion of CD4(+)CD25(high) Tregs and more importantly, can be restored by OMT.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Gina-Lucia
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Riss
authors.forename: Dae-In
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Carolin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wevers
authors.forename: Astrid M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Westendorf
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buer
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Scherbaum
authors.forename: Wiebke
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hansen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002047:Buprenorphine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002469:Cell Separation; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000276:immunology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009270:Naloxone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009294:Narcotics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058850:Opiate Substitution Treatment; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D009294:Narcotics; D009270:Naloxone; D002047:Buprenorphine