1543 Morphine Reduces Leukocyte Migration in vitro

Saturday, March 24, 2012: 9:45 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Presentation Type: Poster Session
J.A. PUMPER1, L. KOODIE2, H. YUAN2, S. ROY2, and S. RAMAKRISHNAN2, 1School of Dentistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 2University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Objectives: The use of opioids such as hydrocodone or codeine (3-methylmorphine) prior to, during or after oral surgery may affect the healing process. Similarly, overuse and abuse of opioids may affect wound healing. Opioids have varying effects on immune cell function and activity. Leukocyte recruitment and migration into sites of damaged tissue lead to debridement and remodeling, contributing to repair. We hypothesized that opioids such as morphine could directly affect leukocyte migration thereby altering recruitment and wound healing. We sought to assess the effect of morphine on leukocyte chemotaxis towards tumor cell derived factors using the transwell system.

Methods: Approximately 5x105 saline or morphine (1.0μM, 16-24hrs 370C) treated and CFDA (10μM, 15 minutes 370C) labeled PLB985 human myelomonocytic cells were loaded into top wells of the transwell set-up. Bottom wells contained either 5%FBS+RPMI1640 or ovarian carcinoma derived conditioned media (MA148-CM). PLB985 cells were allowed to migrate through collagen coated, 3.0μM pores from top wells into bottom wells for 6hrs in a humidified 370C, 5% CO2 incubator. Migrated cells were collected and relative fluorescence determined using a fluorescent plate reader. The effect of morphine on granulocyte migration was further assessed on freshly isolated saline and morphine pretreated granulocytes isolated from human blood.

Results: When compared to saline, morphine significantly reduced the migration of PLB985 cells towards tumor cell derived conditioned media (p<0.05). Similarly, granulocytes isolated from human blood, showed on an average a 46% reduction in chemotaxis to MA148-CM following morphine treatment (p<0.033).

Conclusions: Opioids can reduce leukocyte migration in vitro. This potentially reduces leukocyte recruitment and may delay wound healing. Further examination is required to determine a possible mechanism.

This abstract is based on research that was funded entirely or partially by an outside source: NIDA/NIH F31-DA021005-01; NIDCR T32-DE007288; CA114340; RO1 DA 12104; RO1 DA 022935; KO2 DA 015349; P50 DA 011806; UMSOD Summer Fellowship Program

Keywords: Immune response, Opioids and Wound healing
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