ReviewBritish journal of pharmacology2010
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine ('Ecstasy')-induced immunosuppression: a cause for concern?
Review in British journal of pharmacology, 2010. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 42 citations in OpenAlex.
- Trial
- Inflammatory biomarker outcomes associated with MDMA-assisted therapy: an open-label exploratory study.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2026Article
- Microbiota-immune-brain interactions: A new vision in the understanding of periodontal health and disease.Periodontology 2000 · 2024Review
- Evaluation of the health status outcome among inpatients treated for Amphetamine Addiction.Saudi journal of biological sciences · 2022Article
- Are periodontitis, dental caries and xerostomia more frequently present in recreational ecstasy users?British dental journal · 2022Article
- Exogenous Ghrelin Could Not Ameliorate 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-induced Acute Liver Injury in The Rat: Involved Mechanisms.Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR · 2020Article
- Short term changes in the proteome of human cerebral organoids induced by 5-MeO-DMT.Scientific reports · 2017Article
- Ecstasy (MDMA) and its effects on kidneys and their treatment: a review.Iranian journal of basic medical sciences · 2016Review
- Midkine Is a Novel Regulator of Amphetamine-Induced Striatal Gliosis and Cognitive Impairment: Evidence for a Stimulus-Dependent Regulation of Neuroinflammation by Midkine.Mediators of inflammation · 2016Article
- Contributions of nonhematopoietic cells and mediators to immune responses: implications for immunotoxicology.Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology · 2015Review
- Psychedelics and Immunomodulation: Novel Approaches and Therapeutic Opportunities.Frontiers in immunology · 2015Review
- 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA--Ecstasy) decreases neutrophil activity through the glucocorticoid pathway and impairs host resistance to Listeria monocytogenes infection in mice.Journal of neuroimmune pharmacology : the official journal of the Society on NeuroImmune Pharmacology · 2014Article
- Basal functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and psychological distress in recreational ecstasy polydrug users.Psychopharmacology · 2014Article
- Distinct single cell signal transduction signatures in leukocyte subsets stimulated with khat extract, amphetamine-like cathinone, cathine or norephedrine.BMC pharmacology & toxicology · 2013Article
- 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA): current perspectives.Substance abuse and rehabilitation · 2013Review
- Risk Factors for the presence of anal intraepithelial neoplasia in HIV+ men who have sex with men.PloS one · 2013Article
- Time-Dependent Molecular Changes Following MDMA-Induced Nephrotoxicity.Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPRArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; 'Ecstasy') is a ring-substituted amphetamine and a popular drug of abuse. In addition to ability to induce euphoria, MDMA abuse is associated with a range of acute and long-term hazardous effects. This paper is focused on once such adverse effect: its ability to negatively impact on functioning of the immune system. Research demonstrates that MDMA has immunosuppressive properties, with both innate and adaptive arms of the immune system being affected. The ability of MDMA to suppress innate immunity is indicated by impaired neutrophil phagocytosis and reduced production of dendritic cell/macrophage-derived pro-inflammatory cytokines including tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-12 and IL-15. MDMA also suppresses innate IFN-gamma production, and considering the role of IFN-gamma in priming antigen-presenting cells, it is not surprising that MDMA reduces MHC class II expression on dendritic cells and macrophages, and inhibits co-stimulatory molecule expression. Paradoxically, studies demonstrate that MDMA elicits pro-inflammatory actions in the CNS by activating microglia, the resident innate immune cells in the brain. In terms of adaptive immunity, MDMA reduces circulating lymphocyte numbers, particularly CD4(+) T-cells; suppresses T-cell proliferation; and skews cytokine production in a Th(2) direction. For the most part, the immunosuppressive effects of MDMA cannot be attributed to a direct action of the drug on immune cells, but rather due to the release of endogenous immunomodulatory substances. In this regard, peripheral beta-adrenoceptors and cholinergic receptors have been shown to mediate some immunosuppressive effects of MDMA. Finally, we discuss emerging evidence indicating that MDMA-induced immunosuppression can translate into significant health risks for abusers.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.