Opioids, opioid receptors, and the immune response

It is now clear that opioid receptors participate in the function of the cells of the immune system, and evidence suggests that opioids modulate both innate and acquired immune responses. We review literature here which establishes that mu-, kappa-, and delta-opioid compounds alter resistance to a variety of infectious agents, including the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The nature of the immunomodulatory activity of the opioids has been the subject of a great deal of research over the last ten years. There is increasing evidence that effects of opioids on the immune response are mediated at several levels. Modulation of the inflammatory response appears to be a target of these compounds, including effects on phagocytic activity, as well as the response of cells to various chemoattractant molecules. Moreover, findings from several laboratories have demonstrated the impact of opioid treatment on antibody responses, and the molecular basis for this effect is likely due, at least in part, to the modulation of both cytokine and cytokine receptor expression. Future research should provide a clearer understanding of the cellular and molecular targets of opioid action within the immune system.