Inducible expression of endomorphins in murine dendritic cells

Bone marrow precursor cells were extracted from C57BL/6J mice aged 7-8 weeks, and dendritic cells were purified using anti-CD11c (a specific marker for dendritic cells) antibody-coated magnetic beads. Immunofluorescence staining revealed that the expression levels of endomorphin-1 and endomorphin-2 were upregulated in dendritic cells activated by lipopolysaccharide. An enzyme immunoassay showed that lipopolysaccharide and other Toll-like receptor ligands promoted the secretion of endomorphin-1 and endomorphin-2 from activated dendritic cells. [(3)H]-thymidine incorporation demonstrated that endomorphin-1 and endomorphin-2 both inhibited the proliferation of T lymphocyte induced by activated dendritic cells. Furthermore, this immunosuppressive effect was blocked by CTOP, a specific antagonist of µ-opioid receptors. Our experimental findings indicate that activated dendritic cells can induce the expression and secretion of endomorphins, and that endomorphins suppress T lymphocyte proliferation through activation of µ-opioid receptors.