[Opiate receptors of peripheral blood lymphocytes (effect of morphine and naloxone on human T-lymphocytes)].

Using the method of spontaneous rosette formation the authors studied the effects of morphine and naloxone (a specific morphine antagonist) on T-lymphocytes of man peripheral blood. Treatment of the lymphocytes with morphine led to a diminution of the number of rosette-forming cells. Naloxone did not influence the rosette formation process, but eliminated the specific effect of morphine. The opiate receptors on the thymus-dependent lymphocytes may be an instrument of hormonal regulation of cell interaction processes in individual lymphocyte populations.