Stress-induced hypertension and the role of the neuroimmune system

人们越来越清楚，T淋巴细胞在免疫系统中发挥着重要作用。 高血压的病理生理学以及最近的心理压力和抑郁症 相关残疾。鉴于慢性心理压力也是导致 高血压的发展和维持，进一步认识适应性 免疫应答和潜在的神经免疫机制是必要的。中央 神经系统（CNS）在血压的调节中起重要作用， 已知与免疫系统有双向交流。最近我们组 已经表明，中枢神经系统，特别是前腹侧第三脑室（AV 3V）前脑区， 对于外周血管炎症的发展和T细胞活化至关重要， 血管紧张素II引起的高血压。这些研究的结果揭示了一种新的认识 中枢信号、外周炎症和高血压之间的联系。拟议 我们计划研究适应性免疫反应在应激诱导的 高血压和进一步表征潜在的神经回路。床核 终纹（BNST）是一个吻侧前脑结构，其位置独特， 压力信息，也有神经元投射到涉及血压的部位 例如AV 3V区域。刺激BNST模拟应激诱导的 神经内分泌和自主神经反应，即血压升高，增加 儿茶酚胺和促肾上腺皮质激素释放激素（CRH）释放。在拟议的研究中， 我们将研究BNST和CRH在血压调节和外周血中的作用。 压力诱发的高血压中的血管炎症。使用Cre-lox技术，我们 我计划使用转基因小鼠，这将使我们能够专门识别CRH生产 BNST中的细胞以及删除CRH中血管紧张素原等基因的能力 产生神经元。我们假设BNST内CRH释放增加是必需的 应激性高血压，CRH和BNST参与高血压， 依赖于增加的T淋巴细胞活化和外周血管炎症。这些 这些研究将为介导这些变化的中枢和外周机制提供新的信息。 炎症性疾病，如高血压，并可能提供更好的了解的联系， 压力对心血管疾病发展的负面影响。将合并的 在高血压的病理生理学，压力，转化神经科学和 神经免疫学为我们提供了一个独特的机会来进行这项研究。

It has been become increasingly clear that T lymphocytes play an important role in the pathophysiology of hypertension and more recently in psychological stress and depression related disabilities. Given that chronic psychological stress is also a key contributing factor to the development and maintenance of hypertension, further understanding of the adaptive immune response and the underlying neuroimmune mechanism(s) is warranted. The central nervous system (CNS) plays an essential role in the regulation of blood pressure and has long been known to have bi-directional communication with the immune system. Recently our group has shown that the CNS, in particular the anteroventral third ventricle (AV3V) forebrain region, is critical for the development of peripheral vascular inflammation and T cell activation during angiotensin II-induced hypertension. The results of these studies reveal a new understanding for the link between central signals, peripheral inflammation and hypertension. In the proposed studies we plan to investigate the role of the adaptive immune response in stress-induced hypertension and to further characterize the underlying neurocircuitry. The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is a rostral forebrain structure that is uniquely positioned to integrate stress information and also has neurons that project to the sites involved in blood pressure regulation such as the AV3V region. Stimulation of the BNST mimics stress-induced neuroendocrine and autonomic responses, i.e. elevation of blood pressure, increased catecholamines and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) release. In the proposed studies, we will investigate the role of BNST and CRH in blood pressure regulation and peripheral vascular inflammation in a setting of stress-induced hypertension. Using Cre-lox technology, we plan to use genetically modified mice that will allow us to specifically identify CRH producing cells in the BNST as well as the ability to delete genes such as angiotensinogen in CRH producing neurons. We hypothesize that increased CRH release within the BNST is required for stress-induced hypertension and that this CRH- and BNST involvement in hypertension is dependent on increased T lymphocyte activation and peripheral vascular inflammation. These studies will provide new information for the central and peripheral mechanisms that mediate inflammatory diseases such as hypertension and may provide a better understanding for the link between the negative impact of stress on cardiovascular disease development. The combined expertise in the pathophysiology of hypertension, stress, translational neuroscience and neuroimmunology afford us a unique opportunity to pursue this research.