The Immune Status and Lymphocyte Apoptosis in the Opioid Addicts

The immune status and the PBL apoptosis were studied in the healthy donors and the opioid addicts. Leukocytosis and the increased percentage of the CD3(+) T cells, CD8(+) T cells, CD19(+) B cells, activated CD25(+) and HLA DR(+) lymphocytes were observed in the addicted patients. The number of the CD95 and CD95L bearing cells also was increased however the percentage of the bcl-2(+) lymphocytes was the same as for the donors. The activated PBL subset "pattern" was accompanied by increased IgM level, decreased IgG and IgA levels and elevated serum IL-1beta and TNFalpha. PBL mitogenic response and LPS-induced IL-1beta, TNFalpha and IFNalpha production were suppressed in the opioid addicts. These changes were associated with the increased level of the spontaneous PBL apoptosis, which was documented by morphological method and caspase 3 activity evaluation. The anti-CD3mAbs-induced T-cell apoptosis in the 72-h cultures also was increased however the activated T cells from the addicted patients were resistant to the dexamethasone-induced apoptosis. The immune abnormalities were more prominent in patients with the clinically manifested infectious immunopathological syndrome. Thus, the activation-induced lymphocyte apoptosis may be the factor of importance in the mechanisms of the immunodeficiency in the opioid addicts.