Corticosterone-independent alteration of lymphocyte mitogenic function by amphetamine

TY - JOUR

T1 - Corticosterone-independent alteration of lymphocyte mitogenic function by amphetamine

AU - Pezzone, Michael A.

AU - Rush, Kelly A.

AU - Kusnecov, Alexander W.

AU - Wood, Paul G.

AU - Rabin, Bruce S.

N1 - Funding Information: The authors thank Ms. Ada Armlield and Ms. Ellen Hamill for technical assistance. This work was supported in part by National Research Service Award MHl0157 to M.A.P. from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and by NIMH Research Grant MH43411 to B.S.R. Preliminary results from these studies were presented at the Research Perspectives in Psychoneuroimmunology III Conference in Columbus, Ohio, 1991.

PY - 1992/9

Y1 - 1992/9

N2 - Amphetamine, a neural stimulatory agent with acute effects mimicking those of stress, is shown here to elevate plasma corticosterone levels and suppress spleen and peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) mitogenic responses to concanavalin A (Con A) and phytohemagglutinin (PHA) when administered to rats. Pretreatment of the rats with propranolol, a nonselective β-adrenergic receptor antagonist, totally prevented the amphetamine-induced suppression of lymphocyte mitogenic reactivity to Con A and PHA in the spleen and to PHA in the peripheral blood; however, the PBL mitogenic response to Con A was only partially restored. Although the amphetamine-induced alterations in immune function were prevented by propranolol pretreatment, the elevated plasma corticosterone response was not. This suggests that corticosterone is not modulating the mitogenic activity of splenic lymphocytes or PHA-reactive PBLs. On the other hand, Con A-reactive PBLs may be affected by corticosterone and/or other mechanisms, which may include catecholamines.

AB - Amphetamine, a neural stimulatory agent with acute effects mimicking those of stress, is shown here to elevate plasma corticosterone levels and suppress spleen and peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) mitogenic responses to concanavalin A (Con A) and phytohemagglutinin (PHA) when administered to rats. Pretreatment of the rats with propranolol, a nonselective β-adrenergic receptor antagonist, totally prevented the amphetamine-induced suppression of lymphocyte mitogenic reactivity to Con A and PHA in the spleen and to PHA in the peripheral blood; however, the PBL mitogenic response to Con A was only partially restored. Although the amphetamine-induced alterations in immune function were prevented by propranolol pretreatment, the elevated plasma corticosterone response was not. This suggests that corticosterone is not modulating the mitogenic activity of splenic lymphocytes or PHA-reactive PBLs. On the other hand, Con A-reactive PBLs may be affected by corticosterone and/or other mechanisms, which may include catecholamines.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/0026706859

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/0026706859#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.1016/0889-1591(92)90050-X

DO - 10.1016/0889-1591(92)90050-X

M3 - Article

C2 - 1392103

SN - 0889-1591

VL - 6

SP - 293

EP - 299

JO - Brain Behavior and Immunity

JF - Brain Behavior and Immunity

IS - 3

ER -