| Theme |
The Beginning of Neurogastroenterology |
| Title |
Interplay Between the Immune, Nervous and Endocrine Systems in the Intestinal Mucosa |
| Author |
Hiroshi Nagura |
Division of Pathology, Sendai Shakai Hoken Hospital / Division of Athletics and Nutrition, Sendai College |
| Author |
Yohko Nagura |
Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine |
| Author |
Hironobu Sasano |
Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine |
| [ Summary ] |
Anatomic associations exist between nerve fibers and cellular components of the immune system. The nervous system can interact with the immune system and affect the mutual expression of receptors and mutual usage of mediators that were originally derived from these two dissimilar systems, suggesting a functional relationship between these two systems. In addition, the immune system is also regulated in part by the central nervous and the endocrine systems acting principally via the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which is the key player in stress responses. Cytokines, for example, are chemical messengers that stimulate the HPA axis when the body is under stress or experiencing an infection, and act either directly or indirectly to increase the production of releasing hormones in the HPA axis. Leptin, the product of the ob gene regulates food intake as well as metabolic and endocrine functions, and also plays a regulatory role in immunity and inflammation. Thus these three regulatory systems interact with one another in the human body. |