Cytokine Pattern Secretion by Murine Spleen Cells After Inactivated Candida Albicans Immunization. Effect of Cocaine and Morphine Treatment

Abstract

In the present work we have analyzed: i) the effect of heat-inactivated Candida albicans immunization on the cytokine production by murine spleen cells; ii) the effect of a subchronic cocaine and morphine treatment on this production. The treatment with a single dose of inactivated Candida blastospores induced interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon-γ (IFNγ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) production at 24 h after in vitro restimulation of splenocytes. In this model, the exposure to morphine (25 mg/kg, 5 days before, during and 5 days after inoculation with the yeast) significant decreased IL-2 and IL-4 levels, while secretion of IFN-γ was unaltered. The same cocaine treatment (10 mg/kg) resulted in unchanged levels of the three cytokines tested. The results showed that non-viable Candida cells of this strain induce a predominant Th0 response. This immune effect is in part impaired only by a subchronic administration of morphine.