Morphine innate immune response

Although controversial, findings as to how chronically administered morphine modulates neutrophil chemotaxis and function, a growing consensus believes that morphine is suppressive in the recruitment and functional aspects of these cells during an innate immune response. When peripheral human blood neutrophils were pretreated with exogenous opioids, lL-8-induced chemotaxis was inhibited (Grimm et al. 1998). Conversely, Simpkins et al. reported an increase in neutrophil chemotaxis... 

Wang J, Barke RA, Charboneau R, Roy S (2005) Morphine impairs host innate immune response and increases susceptibility to streptococcus pneumoniae lung infection. J Immunol 174(l) 426-434... 

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