title: The plasma levels of the cytokines in opium-addicts and the effects of opium on the cytokines secretion by their lymphocytes.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of opium addiction on the secretion of IL-4, IFN-γ, IL-6 and TGF-β under in vivo and in vitro conditions. The blood samples were collected and PBMCs were cultured in RPMI1640 with and without opium for 48 h. The levels of the cytokines were measured using ELISA technique. The results showed that plasma levels of IL-4 and IFN-γ were significantly lower and IL-6 and TGF-β were higher in plasma taken from opium-addicted subjects. The concentrations of all the cytokines in opium-addicted subjects in in vitro condition were significantly lower than the control group. Addicted subjects cultured lymphocytes significantly decrease secreted IL-4, IL-6 and TGF-β but not IFN-γ in response to being cultured with opium, where as IFN-γ was increased in controls. These results may explain the frequent microbial infections and an increased tumor incidence seen in addicted patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
authors.forename: Saeedeh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nabati
authors.forename: Gholamreza
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Asadikaram
authors.forename: Mohammad Kazemi
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Arababadi
authors.forename: Gholamabbas
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shahabinejad
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rezaeian
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mahmoodi
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kennedy
mesh_terms: D056704:Adaptive Immunity / Q000187:drug effects; D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007492:Iran; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D009892:Opium / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D009892:Opium