Elsevier

Cellular Immunology

Volume 1, Issue 6, December 1970, Pages 583-595
Cellular Immunology

Lymphocyte blast transformation: I. Demonstration of adrenergic receptors in human peripheral lymphocytes

https://doi.org/10.1016/0008-8749(70)90024-9Get rights and content

Abstract

The effects of various compounds related to adrenergic function (norepinephrine, epinephrine, isoproterenol, propranolol, phentolamine, theophylline, cyclic 3′,5′ AMP, and hydrocortisone) on tritiated thymidine uptake in phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated lymphocytes were studied.

All compounds tested at 10−4M significantly inhibited tritiated thymidine uptake compared to PHA controls. In pulse exposure experiments with more physiologic concentrations performed at the onset of incubation and at the end of incubation (68–72 hr), norepinephrine stimulated tritiated thymidine uptake (an alpha adrenergic effect). Isoproterenol presented at the onset inhibited thymidine uptake but stimulated at the end of incubation (a beta adrenergic effect).

The results, while indicating a complex role of the beta receptor mechanism (cyclic 3′,5′ AMP) in the transformation process, show consistent enhancement by the alpha receptor mechanism, an observation which may relate the sympathetic nervous system to immunologic responsiveness.

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    This work was supported by research grants from The National Foundation-March of Dimes and by Grant 07136 from the U.S. Public Health Service.

    2

    Special Fellow (USPHS AI-48140), Department of Pediatrics, Variety Club Heart Hospital, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

    3

    Postdoctoral Research Fellow (USPHS AI-00292), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

    4

    Director, Clinical Services and Research, Children's Asthma Research Institute and Hospital 3401 West 19th Avenue, Denver, Colorado.

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