In vitro response of v-Ha-ras transgenic mouse lymphocytes after in vivo treatment with alcohol

Oncomouse is a transgenic mouse carrying an activated v-Ha-ras oncogene under the control of the mouse mammary tumor virus promoter. The objective of this paper was to learn if the in vitro secretion of IL-2 and IFN-gamma and the release of sIL-2R by Oncomice splenocytes and thymocytes depended on the presence of the oncogene product, on the in vivo pretreatment with alcohol, or on the in vitro treatment with cocaine or morphine. Oncomice thymocytes released less sIL-2R than FVB thymocytes. Alcohol did not increase sIL-2R release in Oncomice as it did in FVB mice thymocytes. Oncomice thymocytes secreted more IFN-gamma than FVB thymocytes, their secretion was downregulated by in vivo treatment with alcohol, while it was upregulated in FVB thymocytes. IFN-gamma secretion was lower in Oncomice splenocytes from animals receiving alcohol. Oncomice thymocytes and splenocytes responded in a nearly opposite fashion to their FVB counterparts. Therefore, the in vivo treatment with alcohol modified the in vitro response to cocaine or morphine in an oncogene-dependent and -independent manner. Hence, our results further emphasize the role of v-Ha-ras oncogene in defining the host immune response, and of alcohol in modulating such response.