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Memorandum To: Dr. J.G.Glenn and Staff From: D.H.Ford Re: Site visit with Dr. J. Edwin Blalock, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL, March 7, 1988. Grant No. 2222 entitled "Immunoregulatory role of endogenous opiates and their receptors." Goal-a: To determine the role(s) of •pituitary and lymphocyte syn- thesized endorphins in modulating immune function. To compare the molecular structure of neural and lympoid opiate receptors. To determine the distribution of opiate receptors on cells of the immune system. To determine the various types of immunologic responses might be mediated via lymphoid opiate receptors and to evaluate what second messenger systems or ion channels are involved. Finally, to employ endogenous opiod peptides•and anti opiate receptor antibodies for treatment of tumors. Results: Inasmuch as the CTR supported component of Dr. Blalock's program has just commenced, one can not expect his group to have progressed too far. However, Dr. D. Carr, a postdoctoral fellow devoting full time to the project was able to present a considerable amount of data in relation to the molecular structure of the lympoid and neural opiod receptors. The program appears to be moving ahead rapidly and may well provide completely new insights into the inter- relationship of CNS-Endocrine-Immune functions. Does binding of CNS endorphin(derived from the same proopiomelanocortin that gives rise to ACTH) to lymphocytes enhance or depress their function? A recent report by Plotnikoff, et al. demonstrating that methionine enkephaline was effective in patients with AIDS-related complex and showed an increase in cytotoxic T cells and NK cells suggests that the endorphins may enhance immune function. It is, however, too early to do more than speculate about such a possibility. From the manner in which Dr. Blalock has planned his program, he may well be able to provide answers within a few years. There is no question but that this is an imaginative and exciting program. Diagrams illustrating potential neuroendocrine immune system interactions NEUROENDOCRINE SYSTEM `..7 0 I IMMUNE SYSTEM I NEURO ENDOCRINE SYSTEM Figure 1 Bidirectional communication between the immune and neuroendocrine systems. Figure 3 Immune system may regulate the secretion of immunopoten- tiattnor oituitarv hormones.