SUPPRESSION OF IMMUNE PARAMETERS IN ANIMAL-MODELS OF MORPHINE-DEPENDENCE

Implantation of pellets containing 75 mg of morphine induced short ter m (4 day) morphine dependence and markedly reduced total number of spl een cells of BALB/c mice, without affecting total body or liver weight . Polyclonal responses induced by anti-CD3 antibodies, Concanavalin A or Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide in the remaining spleen cells o f morphine-treated mice were also inhibited. Cytofluorimetric analysis indicated that the proportion of major functional lymphocyte populati ons (Ig(+), CD3(+), CD4(+) and CD8(+) lymphocytes) were not significat ively changed in the spleen from morphine-dependent mice. Furthermore, expression levels of surface Ig, CD3, CD4, and CD8, were similar in s pleen cells from control or morphine-treated mice. So, morphine depend ence in BALB/c mice under these controlled conditions results in a spe cific defect in lymphoid cell number and function, with no incidence o n body weight or particular lymphocyte subsets.