Abstract
The central endogenous opioid system is involved in the modulation of interleukin (IL)-6, an inflammatory cytokine that plays a major role in the acute phase response. The present study evaluates whether specific opioid receptor subtypes are selectively involved in this immnunomodulatory action. IL-1β was administered either intracerebroventricularly or intraperitoneally at the dose of 400 ng to rats pretreated with the μ-antagonist β- funaltrexamine, the δ-antagonist naltrindole, or the κ-antagonist nor- binaltorphimine, each at the doses of 1, 10, and 100 μg/rat intracerebroventricularly. Serum IL-6 levels were measured 2 h later. The results show that μ-receptor blockade increases, whereas δ-receptor blockade decreases IL-6 induction, suggesting that the fine tuning exerted by opioids on the immune system may be achieved through a balance of opposing effects. Moreover the three antagonists affect IL-6 induction by central and peripheral IL-1β with a similar pattern, indicating that the brain endogenous opioid system plays a general role in the regulation of this cytokine.
Original language | English |
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Journal | American Journal of Physiology - Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology |
Volume | 273 |
Issue number | 3 42-3 |
Publication status | Published - 1997 |
Keywords
- β-funaltrexamine
- Immunomodulation
- Interleukin-1
- Naltrindole
- Nor- binaltorphimine
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physiology
- Physiology (medical)