Regulation of immune responses by hypothalamic hormones

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

We investigated the effects of hypothalamic hormones, and also those of some pituitary hormones and opioid peptides, on the activity of immune-related cells, such as macrophages, natural killer cells, and lymphocytes.Main results obtained are as follows : 1) Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and opioid peptides enhanced the antitumor activity of macrophages latently activated by low concentrations of interferon (IFN) -gamma and bacterial lipopolysaccharide. Naloxone, an antagonist of opioids, abrogated the effect of opioid peptides, but not that of CRH ; 2) CRH and opioid peptides enhanced thd production of IFN-gamma and IFN-alpha by human monocutes and lymphocytes. Corticotropin (ACTH) and a glucocorticoid (dexamethasone) inhibit the IFN production : 3) Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) and thyrotropin (TSH) augmented the lectin-induced proliferation of T and B cells ; and 4) TRH did not affect the in vivo antibody response, but interrupted the tolerance induction in mouse by deaggregated human gamma globulin. We are studying the effect of many other hormones on various immune responses, but concrete results we obtained are still very few. Investigations are underway. Accumulation of phenomenological results, analysis for them, and logical construction will be required for understanding the biological importance of the psycho-neuro-endocrino-immune network.