HUMAN INTERLEUKIN-2 COULD BIND TO OPIOID RECEPTOR AND INDUCE CORRESPONDING SIGNAL-TRANSDUCTION

INTERLEUKIN-2 (IL-2) was found to have an analgesic effect in the peri pheral nervous system. Both electrophysiological and behavioural exper iments suggested an anti-noceiceptive effect of IL-2 in animals. Bioch emical experiments revealed that IL-2 could displace diprenorphine bin ding in both NG 108-15 cells and HEK 293 cells transfected with pCDNA3 -DOR (delta opioid receptor). Furthermore, IL-2 significantly inhibite d cAMP production stimulated by forskolin in both NG 108-15 and transf ected HEK 293 cells, indicating that the binding of IL-2 to the delta opioid receptor is functional.