[Difference in the behavior of T-lymphocyte populations in heroin and methadone addicts]

An assessment of T-lymphocyte populations was performed in two groups of drug addicts by the technique of monoclonal antibodies. Group I was composed of 11 asymptomatic heroin addicts, group II being in heroin withdrawal program from at least six months. Homosexual subjects, partners of patients with AIDS and patients with liver abnormalities or with recent infectious diseases were excluded from the present study. In all the examined subjects the antibody pattern to Toxoplasma gondii, Epstein-Barr virus, Cytomegalovirus was either negative or slightly positive as after old infections. All subjects were HBsAg negative and HBsAb positive. Group I patients showed a significant inversion of OKT4/OKT8 ratio (p less than 0.01), due to a reduction in T helper lymphocytes (p less than 0.05) and an increase in T suppressors (p less than 0.05). Both groups showed a not significantly different proliferative response to Phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and Concanavalin A (Con A), although 8 out of 11 patients of group I exhibited a reduced proliferative response to PHA. Group I patients also showed a reduced proliferative response to Pokeweed mitogen (PWM). These results might suggest an involvement of B-lymphocytes in immunological changes of heroin addicts. In group II patient all the examined variables, OKT4/OKT8 ratio, absolute number as well as percentage of T-lymphocytes subpopulations and proliferative responses to the employed mitogens, resulted in the normal range. These data seem to exclude that methadone, in contrast with heroin, may induce a cell-mediated immunodepression.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)