[Changes of the immune cells, cytokines and growth hormone in teenager drug addicts].

AIM: To investigate the effect of heroin on the immune function,growth and development in the teenager heroin addicts by measuring their T-lymphocyte subsets,Th1/Th2 cytokines and serum growth hormone.METHODS: T-lymphocyte subsets of peripheral blood from the teenager heroin addicts were measured by direct microvolume whole blood immunoflurescent staining technique by flow cytometer(FCM).Thl/Th2 cytokines were measured by BD cytometric bead array and serum growth hormone was assayed using the chemiluminescence method in the 20 teenager heroin addicts and 23 healthy teenagers.RESULTS: The levels of CD3+,CD3++CD4+,CD3++CD4+/CD3++CD8+,Th1 cytokines(IL-2,TNF-α and IFN-γ) and Th2 cytokines(IL-4 and IL-10) reduced significantly in the teenager heroin addicts compared with the healthy control group(P0.01 or P0.05).The level of Th1 cytokines(IL-2+TNF-α+IFN-γ) decreased more than that of Th2 cytokines(IL-4+IL-5+IL-10)(P0.05).The level of serum growth hormone from the teenager heroin addicts was remarkably higher than that in control group(P0.01).CONCLUSION: Heroin can inhibit the immunofunction especially the celluar immunity of the teenanger heroin addicts.Besides,it can increase the level of serum growth hormone of the teenager heroin addicts.