beta. -endorphin augments the cytolytic activity and interferon production of natural killer cells
The in vitro effects of the neurohormone ..beta..-endorphin (b-end) on natural killer (NK) activity and interferon (IFN) production mediated by large granular lymphocytes (LGL) were investigated. LGL-enriched fractions from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from normal human volunteers were obtained by fractionation over discontinuous Percoll gradients. LGL were preincubated with or without various concentrations of b-end or the closely related peptides ..cap alpha..-endorphin (a-end), ..gamma..-endorphin (g-end), or D-ALA/sub 2/-..beta..-endorphin (D-ALA/sub 2/-b-end), a synthetic b-end analogue. NK activity was assayed on /sup 51/Cr-labeled K562 target cells. Preincubation of LGL effectors (but not K562 targets) for 2 to 18 hr with concentrations of b-end between 10/sup -7/ M and 10/sup -10/ M produced significant augmentation of NK cytolytic activity (mean percentage increase: 63%). The classic opiate antagonist naloxone blocked the enhancing effect when used at a 100-fold molar excess relative to b-end. These findings demonstrate that b-end enhances NK activity and IFN production of purified LGL, and suggests that b-end might bind to an opioid receptor on LGL that can be blocked by naloxone. These results lend support to the concepts of regulation of the immune response by neurohormones and the functional relationship between the nervous and immune systems.
- Research Organization:
- National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
- OSTI ID:
- 6928858
- Journal Information:
- J. Immunol.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Immunol.; (United States) Vol. 136:3; ISSN JOIMA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
AGGLUTININS
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
ANTIBODIES
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM AGENTS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BODY FLUIDS
CARBOHYDRATES
CELL KILLING
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHROMIUM 51
CHROMIUM ISOTOPES
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
DRUGS
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
ENDORPHINS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
GROWTH FACTORS
HEMAGGLUTININS
HORMONES
INTERFERON
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LEUKOCYTES
LYMPHOCYTES
LYMPHOKINES
MAMMALS
MAN
MATERIALS
MITOGENS
MUCOPROTEINS
NEUROREGULATORS
NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PEPTIDE HORMONES
PHYTOHEMAGGLUTININ
POLYSACCHARIDES
PRIMATES
PROTEINS
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RADIO-RELEASE ANALYSIS
RADIOISOTOPES
SACCHARIDES
SEDIMENTATION
SOMATIC CELLS
VERTEBRATES