Reversal of stroke induced lymphocytopenia by levodopa/benserazide treatment

Evidences exist that dopamine is involved in T-cell homeostasis. Here, we investigated if daily treatment with levodopa (20 mg/kg)/benserazide (15 mg/kg) regulates the number of T-cells in the blood of Sprague Dawley rats subjected to transient occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (tMCAO). T-cells and associated inflammatory cytokines were analyzed in the blood one week after tMCAO. Treatment with levodopa/benserazide completely recovered T-helper cell depletion in animals subjected to tMCAO whereas T-cell associated cytokines remained unaffected after stroke, however, cytokines were downregulated in levodopa treated sham operated animals. Together, we demonstrate that dopamine has beneficial effects on poststroke immunodepression.