[Bidirectional communication between neural and immune systems]. 1994

T Hori
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University.

The brain and the immune system communicate with each other by sharing the signal molecules and receptors. While the brain modulates immunity through the neuroendocrine and autonomic nervous controls, the immune system signals the brain by means of cytokines. This paper gives a brief review on our recent findings on (1) the central neural circuits involved in the stress-induced immunosuppression, (2) the roles of the sympathetic nerve innervating the spleen as a communicating channel from brain to immune system, and (3) the role of the organum vasculosum lamina terminalis region as a site of blood-brain signal transduction. Particularly, we have revealed that an inescapable stress elicits an activation of brain opioid systems which leads to an enhanced activity of the splenic sympathetic nerve through the brain CRF system and thereby suppresses the splenic natural killer cytotoxicity by beta-adrenergic mechanisms.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007107 Immune System The body's defense mechanism against foreign organisms or substances and deviant native cells. It includes the humoral immune response and the cell-mediated response and consists of a complex of interrelated cellular, molecular, and genetic components. Immune Systems,System, Immune,Systems, Immune
D001921 Brain The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM. Encephalon
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013564 Sympathetic Nervous System The thoracolumbar division of the autonomic nervous system. Sympathetic preganglionic fibers originate in neurons of the intermediolateral column of the spinal cord and project to the paravertebral and prevertebral ganglia, which in turn project to target organs. The sympathetic nervous system mediates the body's response to stressful situations, i.e., the fight or flight reactions. It often acts reciprocally to the parasympathetic system. Nervous System, Sympathetic,Nervous Systems, Sympathetic,Sympathetic Nervous Systems,System, Sympathetic Nervous,Systems, Sympathetic Nervous
D015398 Signal Transduction The intracellular transfer of information (biological activation/inhibition) through a signal pathway. In each signal transduction system, an activation/inhibition signal from a biologically active molecule (hormone, neurotransmitter) is mediated via the coupling of a receptor/enzyme to a second messenger system or to an ion channel. Signal transduction plays an important role in activating cellular functions, cell differentiation, and cell proliferation. Examples of signal transduction systems are the GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC ACID-postsynaptic receptor-calcium ion channel system, the receptor-mediated T-cell activation pathway, and the receptor-mediated activation of phospholipases. Those coupled to membrane depolarization or intracellular release of calcium include the receptor-mediated activation of cytotoxic functions in granulocytes and the synaptic potentiation of protein kinase activation. Some signal transduction pathways may be part of larger signal transduction pathways; for example, protein kinase activation is part of the platelet activation signal pathway. Cell Signaling,Receptor-Mediated Signal Transduction,Signal Pathways,Receptor Mediated Signal Transduction,Signal Transduction Pathways,Signal Transduction Systems,Pathway, Signal,Pathway, Signal Transduction,Pathways, Signal,Pathways, Signal Transduction,Receptor-Mediated Signal Transductions,Signal Pathway,Signal Transduction Pathway,Signal Transduction System,Signal Transduction, Receptor-Mediated,Signal Transductions,Signal Transductions, Receptor-Mediated,System, Signal Transduction,Systems, Signal Transduction,Transduction, Signal,Transductions, Signal
D016207 Cytokines Non-antibody proteins secreted by inflammatory leukocytes and some non-leukocytic cells, that act as intercellular mediators. They differ from classical hormones in that they are produced by a number of tissue or cell types rather than by specialized glands. They generally act locally in a paracrine or autocrine rather than endocrine manner. Cytokine

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