Methadone diminishes neuroinflammation and disease severity in EAE through modulating T cell function.

Methadone is known to exert modulatory effects on the immune system. We investigated the potential effects of methadone on infiltration of inflammatory cells into the spinal cord, as well as the proliferative and cytokine responses of T cells in MOG(35-55)-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice. Methadone significantly suppressed clinical signs of the disease and level of inflammatory cytokines (p<0.05) produced by T cells. Moreover, invasion of inflammatory cells into the spinal cord was significantly decreased by methadone (p<0.05). Our data point to therapeutic effects of methadone and highlight the beneficial role of opioid receptor signaling in the context of autoimmune neuroinflammation.