ABSTRACT
The effects of the endogenous opioid peptides met- and leu-enkephalins and their synthetic analogs such as DAGO, DADLE, dalargin on the formation and activity of cytolytic T lymphocytes in response to alloantigen stimulation were studied in the unidirectional mixed culture of lymphocytes. It was shown that the maximum stimulating effect of the opioids manifested itself on their addition 24-48 hours after the initiation of incubation and on addition of suboptimal concentrations of an antigen to the culture. The selective opioid receptor ligands mu- and delta-types + (DAGO and DADLE) have a heterodirectional effect on the formation of specific T killer cells in the mixed culture of lymphocytes.
Subject(s)
Endorphins/pharmacology , Enkephalin, Leucine-2-Alanine/analogs & derivatives , Enkephalin, Leucine-2-Alanine/pharmacology , Enkephalins/pharmacology , T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/drug effects , Animals , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Enkephalin, Ala(2)-MePhe(4)-Gly(5)- , Enkephalin, Leucine-2-Alanine/drug effects , Immunity, Cellular/drug effects , Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Mice, Inbred C3H , Stimulation, Chemical , T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/immunology , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Met- and leu-enkephalins and their synthetic analogs DAGO, DADLE, and dalargin were tested for their effects on the activity of natural killer cells. The endogenous opioid peptides and dalargin were shown to be able to enhance the cytolytic activity of natural killer cells.