Additive effect of marihuana and retrovirus in the anergy of natural killer cells in mice

: Among the immunosuppressive effects of marijuana, impairment of natural killer cell activity is significant. HIV also inhibits these cells. Friend leukemia virus complex and its helper component Rowson-Parr virus induce early immunosuppression in mice resembling human AIDS, and late leukemia, providing a small animal AIDS model. Leukemia susceptible BALB/c and resistant C57BL/6 mice were infected with these viruses. At different time points, their natural killer cells separated from spleens were treated with 0 to 10 micrograms/ml tetrahydrocannabinol, subsequently mixed with Yac-1 target cells for 4 and 18 h. The natural killer cell activity in both mouse strains infected by either virus complex or helper virus weakened on days 2 to 4 postinfection, normalized by day 8 and enhanced on days 11 to 14. Natural killer cell activity upon the effect of low concentration (1.0 to 2.5 micrograms/ml) of tetrahydrocannabinol slightly increased in BALB/c, was unaffected in C57BL/6, especially in 18 h assays. In the combined effects of marijuana and retrovirus, damages by marijuana dominated over those of retroviruses. Inhibition or reactive enhancement of natural killer cell activity on the effect of viruses are similar to those of infected but marijuana-free counterparts, but on the level of uninfected cells treated with marijuana. The effects of marijuana and retrovirus are additive resulting in anergy of natural killer cells.