title: Inducible expression of endomorphins in murine dendritic cells.
abstract: Bone marrow precursor cells were extracted from C57BL/6J mice aged 7-8 weeks, and dendritic cells were purified using anti-CD11c (a specific marker for dendritic cells) antibody-coated magnetic beads. Immunofluorescence staining revealed that the expression levels of endomorphin-1 and endomorphin-2 were upregulated in dendritic cells activated by lipopolysaccharide. An enzyme immunoassay showed that lipopolysaccharide and other Toll-like receptor ligands promoted the secretion of endomorphin-1 and endomorphin-2 from activated dendritic cells. [(3)H]-thymidine incorporation demonstrated that endomorphin-1 and endomorphin-2 both inhibited the proliferation of T lymphocyte induced by activated dendritic cells. Furthermore, this immunosuppressive effect was blocked by CTOP, a specific antagonist of µ-opioid receptors. Our experimental findings indicate that activated dendritic cells can induce the expression and secretion of endomorphins, and that endomorphins suppress T lymphocyte proliferation through activation of µ-opioid receptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urinary Surgery, First Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233000, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiaohuai
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Anhui Key Laboratory of Infection & Immunity, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233000, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Anhui Key Laboratory of Infection & Immunity, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233000, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233000, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiaofen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233000, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233000, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233000, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhenghong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
keywords: antigen-presenting cell; dendritic cells; endomorphin; nerve immunization; neural regeneration; µ-receptor