Long-Term Exposure of Human Blood Vessels to HIV gp120, Morphine, and Anandamide Increases Endothelial Adhesion of Monocytes: Uncoupling of Nitric Oxide Release

• Published in: Journal of cardiovascular pharmacology Vol. 31; no. 6; pp. 862 - 868
• Main Authors: Stefano, George B, Salzet, Michel, Bilfinger, Thomas V
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA Lippincott-Raven Publishers 01-06-1998; Hagerstown, MD Lippincott
• Subjects: AIDS/HIV; Arachidonic Acids - administration & dosage; Arachidonic Acids - pharmacology; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Vessels - cytology; Blood Vessels - drug effects; Blood Vessels - metabolism; Cell Adhesion - drug effects; Drug addictions; Endocannabinoids; Endothelium, Vascular - cytology; Endothelium, Vascular - drug effects; Endothelium, Vascular - metabolism; Enzyme Inhibitors - pharmacology; HIV Envelope Protein gp120 - administration & dosage; HIV Envelope Protein gp120 - pharmacology; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Medical sciences; Monocytes - cytology; Monocytes - drug effects; Monocytes - metabolism; Morphine - administration & dosage; Morphine - pharmacology; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester - pharmacology; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; Polyunsaturated Alkamides; Toxicology; Human; Monocyte; Retroviridae; Morphine; Opiates; Glycoproteins; Lentivirus; Adhesion; In vitro; Endothelium; Virus; Nitric oxide; Blood vessel; Coat protein; Drug of abuse; Circulatory system; Human immunodeficiency virus; Release
• ISSN: 0160-2446; 1533-4023
• DOI: 10.1097/00005344-199806000-00009

Acute exposure of human saphenous vein or internal thoracic artery endothelium to either morphine [27.4 ± 3.7 and 35.4 ± 4.1 nM nitric oxide (NO), respectively] or anan-damide (18.3 ± 2.2 and 24.3 ± 3.0 nM, respectively) results in NO release, whereas exposure to the human immunodeficiency virus envelope protein gp120 does not. After the short-term exposure of the vessel endothelium, monocyte adherence is diminished with morphine and anandamide treatment (jointly by −80%), whereas it is enhanced with that of gp120 (∼40%), indicating that gp120 enhances the ability of the endothelium to adhere monocytes. Long-term or continuous exposure of the endothelia to all agents results in a significant enhancement of monocyte adherence (p < 0.05), which is further increased when exposed to either morphine and anandamide plus gp120. This is caused by a desensitization of the endothelium to further NO release after the initial exposure to either anandamide or morphine. The results serve to indicate that in individuals abusing opiates and or cannabinoids, a tissue [i.e., central nervous system (CNS)] viral load may be higher, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) may progress more rapidly because monocyte adherence and mobility is significantly increased, indicating a higher level of transmembrane migration.