» Articles » PMID: 9610674

The Opioid-cytokine Connection

Overview
Journal J Neuroimmunol
Specialty Neurology
Date 1998 Jun 4
PMID 9610674
Citations 78
Authors
Affiliations
Soon will be listed here.
Abstract

Opioids (exogenous opiates and endogenous opioid peptides) have a diversity of effects on the immune system. Although numerous studies have shown that opioid-induced immunosuppression can be mediated indirectly via the central nervous system (CNS) or through direct interactions with immunocytes, the precise cellular mechanisms underlying the immunomodulatory effects of opioids are largely unknown. In recent years, investigations from several laboratories have indicated that opioids can operate as cytokines, the principal communication signals of the immune system. All of the major properties of cytokines are shared by opioids, i.e., production by immune cells with paracrine, autocrine, and endocrine sites of action, functional redundancy, pleiotropy and effects that are both dose- and time-dependent. Studies of the effects of opioids on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) or brain cells cocultured with HIV-infected cells suggest that some of the immunoregulatory actions of opioids are mediated by ultrahigh affinity receptors on PBMC and glial cells. Because the CNS is populated predominantly by astroglia and microglia which have properties of immune cells, it is possible that certain of the CNS effects of opioids involve cytokine-like interactions with glial cells. Although there is mounting evidence supporting the concept that opioids are members of the cytokine family, the relative contribution of the opioids to immunoregulation remains unclear. The importance of opiate addiction in the AIDS epidemic means that gaining a better understanding of the mechanisms of opioid-induced immunomodulation is of more than academic interest.

Citing Articles

Neuroimmune Mechanisms of Opioid Use Disorder and Recovery: Translatability to Human Studies, and Future Research Directions.

Butelman E, Goldstein R, Nwaneshiudu C, Girdhar K, Roussos P, Russo S Neuroscience. 2023; 528:102-116.

PMID: 37562536 PMC: 10720374. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.07.031.


Interleukin-33 and Soluble ST2 as Potential Biomarkers of Cancer in Opium Users: A Nested Case-Control Study.

Firouzabadi N, Javdani K, Dehshahri A Iran J Med Sci. 2022; 47(6):541-548.

PMID: 36380972 PMC: 9652501. DOI: 10.30476/IJMS.2021.92335.2360.


Chronic Cancer Pain: Opioids within Tumor Microenvironment Affect Neuroinflammation, Tumor and Pain Evolution.

Santoni A, Santoni M, Arcuri E Cancers (Basel). 2022; 14(9).

PMID: 35565382 PMC: 9104169. DOI: 10.3390/cancers14092253.


Sex differences in neuro(auto)immunity and chronic sciatic nerve pain.

Linher-Melville K, Shah A, Singh G Biol Sex Differ. 2020; 11(1):62.

PMID: 33183347 PMC: 7661171. DOI: 10.1186/s13293-020-00339-y.


Opioid and neuroHIV Comorbidity - Current and Future Perspectives.

Fitting S, McRae M, Hauser K J Neuroimmune Pharmacol. 2020; 15(4):584-627.

PMID: 32876803 PMC: 7463108. DOI: 10.1007/s11481-020-09941-8.