SELECTIVE MODULATION OF IMMUNE FUNCTION RESULTING FROM IN-VITRO EXPOSURE TO METHYLENEDIOXYMETHAMPHETAMINE (ECSTASY)

Abuse of illicit analogs of methamphetamine (i.e., 'designer drugs') r epresents a growing problem. One of the most popular methamphetamine a nalogs is(+/-)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly know n as Ecstasy. The authors demonstrated previously that in vitro exposu re to methamphetamine results in modulation of immune functional param eters necessary for host defense. The current study was performed to a ssess the potential direct (in vitro) immunomodulatory effect of expos ure to a modified methamphetamine. Splenocytes or peritoneal macrophag es from B6C3F 1 mice were cultured in vitro at MDMA concentrations of 0.0001-100 mu M. T-cell regulatory function was assessed by anti-CD3-m ediated production of IL-2 and IL-4, B-cell function was assessed by q uantitating cellular proliferation, natural immunity was assessed by q uantitating natural killer (NK) cell activity, T-cell effector functio n was evaluated as a function of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) activity , and macrophage function was assessed by IL-6 tumor necrosis factor ( TNF) production, In vitro exposure to MDMA had no effect on B-cell pro liferation at any concentration tested. In comparison, in the absence of direct cellular toxicity, production of IL-2 was enhanced at concen trations as low as 0.0001 mu M. IL-4 production was not affected by ex posure to any concentration of MDMA examined; suggesting a differentia l alteration in T-heIper cell function by this compound. Basal and aug mented NK cell function were enhanced at MDMA concentrations between 0 .0001 and 1.0 mu M when examined at an effector:target ratio of 100:1, CTL induction was significantly suppressed at a concentration of 100 mu M: Finally, macrophage production of TNF was slightly suppressed at 10 and 100 mu M MDMA, although this inhibition was not statistically significant.