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Mu opioid receptor gene expression in immune cells

T K Chuang1, K F Killam, L F Chuang

  • 1Department of Medical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of California, Davis 95616, USA.

Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
|November 22, 1995
PubMed

Insights

Morphine affects immune responses. Researchers found that human and monkey immune cells, including polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells, express the mu opioid receptor gene, providing a molecular basis for these effects.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Neuroscience
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Previous studies show morphine sulfate alters immune responses in rhesus monkeys.
  • Morphine treatment impairs chemotactic and phagocytotic activities of primate polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and isolate mRNA encoding the mu opioid receptor gene in human and monkey immune cells.
  • To investigate the expression of mu opioid receptors in various immune cell types.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized primer sequences from human brain mu opioid receptor cDNA.
  • Amplified, cloned, and sequenced specific opioid receptor segments in mRNA transcripts.
  • Analyzed gene expression in human and monkey immune cells.

Main Results:

  • Successfully identified and isolated mu opioid receptor gene sequences from human and monkey immune cells.
  • Mu opioid receptor mRNA was found to be expressed in CEM x174, Raji, human CD4+ cells, monocytes/macrophages, PMN, and monkey peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC).
  • This study provides the first evidence of constitutive mu opioid receptor mRNA expression in human and monkey immune cells.

Conclusions:

  • Human and monkey immune cells constitutively express mu opioid receptor mRNA.
  • This finding offers a potential molecular mechanism for the immunomodulatory effects of opioids.

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