Increased splenocyte proliferative response and cytokine production in beta-endorphin-deficient mice.

REFOJO D, KOVALOVSKY D, YOUNG JI, RUBINSTEIN M, HOLSBOER F, REUL JM, LOW MJ, ARZT E.

JOURNAL OF NEUROIMMUNOLOGY

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2002 vol. 131 p. 126 - 134

0165-5728

We used beta-endorphin-deficient mice as a novel approach to confirm the physiological role that opioid peptides play in the development or regulation of the immune system. We found that mice lacking beta-endorphin possessed an enhanced immune response, measured in terms of splenocyte proliferation and interleukin (IL)-2 mRNA levels, in vitro production of the splenic macrophage inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-alpha and plasma IL-6 following lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration. beta-Endorphin-deficient mice had attenuated increases of plasma ACTH and corticosterone levels in response to LPS. These results are consistent with a postulated inhibitory role of endogenous beta-endorphin on the immune system at multiple levels.