J. Bergquist et al., MEASUREMENTS OF CATECHOLAMINE-MEDIATED APOPTOSIS OF IMMUNOCOMPETENT CELLS BY CAPILLARY ELECTROPHORESIS, Electrophoresis, 18(10), 1997, pp. 1760-1766
Single cell analysis with capillary electrophoresis, a technique capab
le of detecting zeptomole quantities (10(-21) mole) of neurochemical s
pecies, has been used to demonstrate that lymphocytes are capable of a
ctive synthesis of dopamine and norepinephrine. Exposure of lymphocyte
s to catecholamines at concentrations as low as 10 nM leads to decreas
ed proliferation and differentiation, e.g. interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma
), interleukin-4 (IL-4) and immunoglobulin (Ig). In addition, both inh
ibition of dopamine uptake with nomifensine and inhibition of packing
of catecholamines into vesicles with tetrabenazine, results in signifi
cantly lower levels of dopamine and norepinephrine (p < 0.01 and p < 0
.05, respectively). The catecholamine-dependent inhibition of T-and B-
lymphocyte activity is mediated via an induction of a Bcl-2/Bax and Fa
s/FasL involved apoptosis. These findings indicate a novel mechanism f
or regulation of lymphocyte activity in the central nervous system, wh
ereby elevated regional levels of catecholamines might lead to the imm
unoprivilege of the brain.