Carr D J
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Alabama, Birmingham 35294-0005.
Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1991 Nov;198(2):710-20. doi: 10.3181/00379727-198-43309b.
Opioid peptides appear to be dynamic signaling molecules that are produced within the immune system and are active regulators of an immune response. Furthermore, the receptors for these peptides occurring on immunocyte membranes share characteristics with neuronal opioid receptors, including molecular size, immunogenicity, and the use of specific intracellular signaling pathways. Recent studies of the interaction of opioids with cytokines have indicated that opioid peptides are intimately involved within the immune system. Specifically, opioids, including 2-n-pentyloxy-2-phenyl-4-methyl-morpholine, naloxone, and beta-endorphin, have been shown to interact with IL-2 receptors (134) and regulate production of IL-1 and IL-2 (48-50, 135). Conversely, IL-1 has been shown to up-regulate opioid peptide binding in brain tissue (136). Furthermore, the induction of IL-1 by opioids has also been identified in the invertebrate Mytilus, indicating the evolutionary conservation of this relationship (137). These results seem to typify the intricate association between the immune and neuroendocrine systems through opioid pathways. It is predicted that future endeavors will use this relationship to diagnose and treat specific diseases that have at their basis neuroendocrine and immunologic imbalances.
阿片肽似乎是动态信号分子，在免疫系统内产生，是免疫反应的活性调节因子。此外，这些肽在免疫细胞膜上的受体与神经元阿片受体具有共同特征，包括分子大小、免疫原性以及特定细胞内信号通路的使用。最近关于阿片类物质与细胞因子相互作用的研究表明，阿片肽与免疫系统密切相关。具体而言，包括2-正戊氧基-2-苯基-4-甲基吗啉、纳洛酮和β-内啡肽在内的阿片类物质已被证明可与白细胞介素-2受体相互作用（134）并调节白细胞介素-1和白细胞介素-2的产生（48 - 50, 135）。相反，白细胞介素-1已被证明可上调脑组织中的阿片肽结合（136）。此外，在无脊椎动物贻贝中也发现了阿片类物质对白细胞介素-1的诱导作用，表明这种关系在进化上具有保守性（137）。这些结果似乎体现了通过阿片肽途径免疫系统与神经内分泌系统之间的复杂关联。预计未来的研究将利用这种关系来诊断和治疗基于神经内分泌和免疫失衡的特定疾病。
