[Participation of opioid receptor of the kappa-, mu-, and delta-types in regulating the humoral immune response].

The alteration of opioid receptor total binding level as well as ae- and mu-, delta-type distribution has been investigated on the every day of primary and secondary immune response on bovine gamma-globulin. It has been shown that a level of opioid binding measured with [3H]naloxone increased by 6 times during the primary, and by 1.5 times during the secondary immune response on the antigen. A maximal value of opioid receptor activity has been observed at the 7-th and the 5-th days correspondingly, i.e. at the peak of the response. Receptor activity has been measured by displacement of [3H]naloxone with corresponding selective opioid ligand. Growth of the quantity of ae-receptors and decrease of that of mu- and delta-receptor types has been found to take place starting with zero time till 7-th and 5-th days of response development. A reverse picture has been detected during the immune response falling down. Selective ae-ligand stimulated the secretion of specific antibodies to bovine gamma-globulin, whereas mu- and delta-ligands suppressed the antibody production. Functional role of different types of opioid peptides taking part in immune regulation is analyzed.