Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

The opioid-cytokine connection

P K Peterson1, T W Molitor, C C Chao

  • 1Neuroimmunobiology and Host Defense Laboratory, Minneapolis Medical Research Foundation, MN 55404, USA. peter137@maroon.tc.umn.edu

Journal of Neuroimmunology
|June 4, 1998
PubMed
Summary

Opioids impact the immune system, potentially acting like cytokines. Understanding these opioid-induced immune effects is crucial, especially concerning opiate addiction and the AIDS epidemic.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Comparison of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography and MRI results obtained by expert and novice radiologists indicating short-term response after transarterial chemoembolisation for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Clinical radiology·2023
Same author

Serological evidence of high Leptospira exposure among indigenous people (Orang Asli) in Peninsular Malaysia using a recombinant antigen-based ELISA.

Tropical biomedicine·2021
Same author

Role of Iron in the Cellular Effects of Asbestos.

Inhalation toxicology·2015
Same author

Psychological linguistics: A natural science approach to the study of language interactions.

The Analysis of verbal behavior·2012
Same author

Selective drug efflux in multidrug-resistant immunoblastic B lymphoma cells with overexpressed P-glycoprotein.

Environmental toxicology and pharmacology·2011
Same author

Inhibition by arsenite of anticancer drug cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) induced DNA repair and drug resistance in HeLa cells.

Environmental toxicology and pharmacology·2011

Area of Science:

  • Neuroimmunology
  • Immunology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Opioids exert diverse effects on the immune system, with mechanisms largely unknown.
  • Opioid-induced immunosuppression can occur via the central nervous system or direct immune cell interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the precise cellular mechanisms of opioid immunomodulatory effects.
  • To explore the potential of opioids to function as cytokines within the immune system.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing laboratory investigations and studies.
  • Examination of opioid effects on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and brain cells co-cultured with HIV-infected cells.

Main Results:

  • Opioids share major properties with cytokines, including production by immune cells and dose/time-dependent effects.
  • Evidence suggests ultrahigh affinity receptors on PBMC and glial cells mediate some opioid immunoregulatory actions.

Conclusions:

  • Opioids may function as cytokines, interacting with glial cells in the central nervous system.
  • Further research is needed to clarify the role of opioids in immunoregulation, particularly given their relevance to the AIDS epidemic.

Related Experiment Videos