Mitogen-Induced Blastogenic Responses of Lymphocytes from Marihuana Smokers

Abstract

Blastogenic responses in vitro to phytohemagglutinin and pokeweed mitogen were examined in microcultures of peripheral blood lymphocytes from a group of 12 healthy, long-term marihuana smokers and a group of matched control subjects. With either mitogen, no significant difference in cellular incorporation of (3H)thymidine was noted between the groups. These results were interpreted to indicate that the functional status of blood lymphocytes was not altered by long-term smoking of marihuana.