MARIHUANA & IMMUNITY--SUPPRESSIVE MECHANISMS IN HUMANS

这项建议的长期目标是了解 大麻免疫抑制作用的机制(S) 成分三角洲-9-四氢大麻酚(THC)。具体目标是 确定THC抑制THC的细胞和分子机制 自然杀伤细胞、淋巴细胞分化和巨噬细胞 人外周血白细胞的吞噬活性 最初的研究将集中在NK细胞的细胞毒性上。通过这样做，一个 对这种免疫抑制的方式的理解 通过干预免疫刺激物质逆转，如 可以获得白介素2。另外，关于免疫抑制 这些研究旨在确定大麻是否可能 在感染人类的个人中导致显性艾滋病的发病 免疫缺陷病毒(HIV)。这些目标将通过研究 细胞因子(或细胞因子缺失)在THC诱导的调节中的重要性 抑制，检查已知的代谢途径的功能 参与淋巴细胞和巨噬细胞的激活，并检查 来自HIV感染者的白细胞受到更严重的抑制 免疫反应，并产生更多数量的传染性艾滋病毒。 最终，我们的目标是克服THC的所有有害影响 使用免疫调节物质。

The long term objectives of this proposal are to gain an understanding of the mechanism(s) of the immunosuppressive activity of the marijuana component delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The specific aims are to determine the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which THC inhibits the natural killer (NK) cell, lymphocyte blastogenesis and macrophage phagocytic activities of human peripheral blood leukocytes, although the study will initially focus on NK cell cytotoxicity. By doing so, an understanding of ways in which this type of immune suppression can be reversed by intervention with immunostimulatory substances, such as interleukin 2 can be acquired. Also, with regard to the immunosuppressive activity of THC these studies are intended to determine if marijuana might contribute to the onset of overt AIDS in individuals infected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). These goals will be reached by studying the importance of cytokines (or their absence) in the mediation of THC induced suppression, examining the function of metabolic pathways known to be involved in lymphocyte and macrophage activation, and examining whether leukocytes from HIV infected individuals are more severely depressed in immune reactivity and produce greater numbers of infectious HIV. Ultimately, the goal is to overcome all of the detrimental effects of THC using immunomodulatory substances.