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Combining Laser Capture Microdissection and Microfluidic qPCR to Analyze Transcriptional Profiles of Single Cells: A Systems Biology Approach to Opioid Dependence
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Single cell transcriptomics reveals opioid usage evokes widespread suppression of antiviral gene program

Tanya T Karagiannis1,2, John P Cleary2,3, Busra Gok2,4

  • 1Program in Bioinformatics, Boston University, 24 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.

Nature Communications
|May 28, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Chronic opioid use suppresses the immune system by inhibiting antiviral gene programs in monocytes and other immune cells. This effect occurs with both long-term use and short-term morphine exposure, impacting immune defenses.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Opioid addiction affects the central nervous system.
  • Opioid use also impacts the peripheral immune system.
  • Systematic characterization of opioid's immune modulation is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To unbiasedly characterize the immune modulatory effects of chronic opioid usage.
  • To investigate the impact of acute opioid exposure on immune cell function.

Main Methods:

  • Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was performed on peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
  • Samples were analyzed from individuals with opioid dependence and healthy controls.
  • Immune cell responses were assessed after lipopolysaccharide stimulation and in vitro morphine treatment.

Main Results:

  • Chronic opioid use suppressed antiviral gene programs in naive monocytes.
  • Suppression of antiviral gene programs was observed in multiple immune cell types post-lipopolysaccharide stimulation.
  • In vitro morphine treatment also led to the suppression of antiviral gene programs.

Conclusions:

  • Both acute and chronic opioid exposure can harm the immune system by suppressing antiviral responses.
  • Further research into opioid's immune modulatory effects is crucial for clinical safety.
  • Opioid-induced immune suppression may compromise the body's ability to fight infections.

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