Depletion and recovery of lymphoid subsets following morphine administration.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Opioid use and abuse has been linked to significant immunosuppression, which has been attributed, in part, to drug-induced depletion of lymphocytes. We sought to define the mechanisms by which lymphocyte populations are depleted and recover following morphine treatment in mice.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

Mice were implanted with morphine pellets and B- and T-cell subsets in the bone marrow, thymus, spleen and lymph nodes were analysed at various time points. We also examined the effects of morphine on T-cell development using an ex vivo assay.

KEY RESULTS

The lymphocyte populations most susceptible to morphine-induced depletion were the precursor cells undergoing selection. As the lymphocytes recovered, more lymphocyte precursors proliferated than in control mice. In addition, peripheral T-cells displayed evidence that they had undergone homeostatic proliferation during the recovery phase of the experiments.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

The recovery of lymphocytes following morphine-induced depletion occurred in the presence of morphine and via increased proliferation of lymphoid precursors and homeostatic proliferation of T-cells.