Abstract
The question of how the neural and immune systems interact in host defense is important, integrating a system that senses the whole body with one that protects. Understanding the mechanisms and routes of control could produce novel and powerful ways of promoting and enhancing normal functions as well as preventing or treating abnormal functions. Fragmentation of biological research into specialities has resulted in some failures in recognizing and understanding interactions across different systems and this is most striking across immunology, hematology, and neuroscience. This reductionist approach does not allow understanding of the in vivo orchestrated response generated through integration of all systems. However, many factors make the understanding of multisystem cross-talk in response to a threat difficult, for instance the nervous and immune systems share communication molecules and receptors for a wide range of physiological signals. But, it is clear that physical, hard-wired connections exist between the two systems, with the key link involving sensory, unmyelinated nerve fibers (c fibers) containing the neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and modified macrophages, mast cells and other immune and host defense cells in various locations throughout the body. In this review we will therefore focus on the induction of CGRP and its key role in the neuroimmune axis.
Highlights
SENSORY NEUROTRANSMITTER calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) Sensory neurotransmitters have been extensively studied and their ability to affect different body functions has been shown in a range of studies
Taken together all the findings suggest the presence of a TNFα-CGRP regulatory “loop” that is mediated via transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) bearing sensory neurons releasing CGRP and/or through intracellular transcriptional interference of TNFα expression by immune cells
CGRP-containing c nerve fibers are found everywhere in the body and are associated, in many locations, with specific immune cells including dendritic cells, mast www.frontiersin.org cells and T cells. It appears to be the key mediator of neuroimmune communication with the c fibers acting as both sensory pathways, informing the nervous system of peripheral challenges, and as a local controller of immune functions
Summary
1. In the absence of antigenpresentation, CGRP facilitates the breaking of the T helper cell commitment (Levite, 1998). 2. Regulation of T cell motility and migration (Levite et al, 2000). 3. Upregulates IL9 and IL17 in asthma and EAE (Mikami et al, 2012,13). 4. Increases CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells differentiation (Matsuda, 2012). 5. Affects early B cell differentiation (Bracci-Laudero et al, 2002). 6. CGRP inhibits the expression of surface immunoglobulin post LPS (McGillis et al, 1995)
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