COCAINE SELF-ADMINISTRATION MODULATES PERIPHERAL IMMUNE CELLS LEVELS AND THEIR CB2 RECEPTOR EXPRESSION

ASSIS MA; SANTOS-TOSCANO R; UCHA-TORTUERO M; HIGUERA-MATAS A; CARRANZA PG

Buenos Aires

Congreso; Reunión Conjunta de Sociedades de Biociencias; 2017

The immune system (IS) is able to modulate several central nervous system (CNS) functions (including learning, memory, neural plasticity and neurogenesis) by complex interactions among glia, neurons, neural precursor cells and peripheral immune cells (particularly T-cells and macrophages). In parallel, CNS acting drugs, such as psychostimulants, are able to modulate the IS. CB2 cannabinoid receptors are expressed both in CNS and IS, and have been associated with cocaine- induced effects. The aim of the present work was to study the levels of peripheral T- and B-cells and macrophages, as well as their CB2 receptor surface expression after cocaine treatment. Lewis rats were trained during 3 weeks in cocaine (1 mg/kg/infusion, i.v.) or vehicle self-administration. Twenty-four hours later, the rats were sacrificed and the spleens were removed in order to obtain spleen mononuclear cells (SMC). In cocaine self-administered rats, we observed a macroscopic splenomegaly reflected in augmented relative spleen weight (p