FIND ARTICLE

OPIOID SYSTEM AND INNATE IMMUNITY – COMPARATIVE STUDIES. II. OPIOIDS AND INFLAMMATION

Homeostasis is critically dependent on communication between the immune, endocrine and nervous systems, and also the opioid system. Opioids can affect immune processes directly through the activation of opioid receptors on leukocytes or indirectly through the stimulation of the corticosteroid and catecholamine release. Leukocytes can also synthesize and release opioid peptides, which act as analgesic factors during inflammatory process. Many data indicate that opioids are also immunomodulators, and can affect leukocyte migration, killing activity and apoptosis.

OPIOID SYSTEM AND INNATE IMMUNITY – COMPARATIVE STUDIES. I. OPIOIDS AND OPIOID RECEPTORS

Existence of the opioid receptors, prohormones and peptides is recorded both in invertebrates and vertebrates. The comparative molecular studies of nucleotide and amino acid sequences rose a hypo- thesis that all opioid prohormones originated by a duplication of proenkephalin gene. Probably, as a first originated proopiomelanocortin, then pronociceptin and after the third and last duplication prodynorphin. Proopiomelanocortin is the prohormon for adrenocorticotropin and melanocyte stimulating hormo- ne, lipotropins and ß-endorphin.

The effect of morphine on the immune system of vertebrates

The interest in the influence of drugs on the immune system , with special attention to opiates , according to the Increment is currently the number of addicts and patients stosujšcych morphine to relieve pain . Morphine acts differently on the immune system , hamujšc or nasilajšc response efficiency . Opiates Mogs affect the immune system indirectly bšdź Hanging with classical opioid receptors in the central nervous system , causing increased secretion of catecholamines and glucocorticoids , bšdź Mogs hanging directly with a specific opioid receptor - m3 located on leukocytes .

The Editorial Board
Andrzej Łukaszyk - przewodniczący, Zofia Bielańska-Osuchowska, Szczepan Biliński, Mieczysław Chorąży, Aleksander Koj, Włodzimierz Korochoda, Leszek Kuźnicki, Aleksandra Stojałowska, Lech Wojtczak

Editorial address:
Katedra i Zakład Histologii i Embriologii Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Poznaniu, ul. Święcickiego 6, 60-781 Poznań, tel. +48 61 8546453, fax. +48 61 8546440, email: mnowicki@ump.edu.pl

PBK Postępby biologi komórki