Methamphetamine and diazepam suppress antigen-specific cytokine expression and antibody production in ovalbumin-sensitized BALB/c mice

Toxicol Lett. 2008 Oct 1;181(3):157-62. doi: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2008.07.015. Epub 2008 Jul 29.

Abstract

Methamphetamine is a widely abused psychostimulant. Abusing methamphetamine causes various adverse effects, such as immune dysfunction. The present study investigated the effect of diazepam, a central depressant, on methamphetamine-induced immunosuppression. BALB/c mice were daily administered with diazepam and methamphetamine (5mg/kg of each), either alone or in combination, for 5 consecutive days followed by sensitization with ovalbumin (OVA). Two days later the same dosing and sensitization regimen was repeated once. The production of serum anti-OVA antibodies, and the cellularity and functional activities of splenocytes were measured 7 days post the 2nd OVA sensitization. The results demonstrated that methamphetamine and/or diazepam significantly attenuated the production of OVA-specific IgM, IgG(1) and IgG(2a). Concordantly, splenocytes of mice administered with diazepam and/or methamphetamine produced less IL-4 and IFN-gamma upon ex vivo re-stimulation with OVA, as compared to the vehicle-treated control. In contrast, the cellularity and metabolic activity of splenocytes were not altered by the drug treatment. These results indicated that the central depressant diazepam did not affect methamphetamine-mediated immunosuppression. Rather, both drugs markedly suppressed antigen-specific antibody production and T-cell reactivity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibody Formation / drug effects*
  • Antibody Formation / immunology
  • Antigens / immunology
  • Cytokines / biosynthesis*
  • Cytokines / immunology
  • Diazepam / pharmacology*
  • Drug Synergism
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / pharmacology*
  • Male
  • Methamphetamine / pharmacology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Ovalbumin / immunology
  • Spleen / cytology
  • Spleen / drug effects
  • Spleen / immunology
  • Spleen / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology

Substances

  • Antigens
  • Cytokines
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Methamphetamine
  • Ovalbumin
  • Diazepam