Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 394305, USA.
Dis Model Mech. 2010 Nov-Dec;3(11-12):721-31. doi: 10.1242/dmm.003871. Epub 2010 Sep 9.
The innate immune response is evoked as a consequence of interactions between invading foreign infectious agents and host immune cells. A successful innate immune response is pivotal in maintaining the delicate balance between health and disease; an insufficient response results in infection, whereas an excessive response results in prolonged inflammation and tissue damage. Alterations in the state and function of the nervous system influence the immune response. The nervous system regulates innate immune responses through the release of neurotransmitters, neuropeptides and neurohormones. However, many questions related to the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved, the physiological role of the link between the immune and the nervous system, and the biological significance of neuro-immune interactions remain unresolved. The interactions between the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and its pathogens provide insights into mechanisms of neuroendocrine regulation of immunity and address many outstanding issues related to neuro-immune interactions.
先天免疫反应是由于入侵的外来传染性病原体与宿主免疫细胞之间的相互作用而引发的。成功的先天免疫反应对于维持健康与疾病之间的微妙平衡至关重要；反应不足会导致感染，而反应过度则会导致炎症持续和组织损伤。神经系统状态和功能的改变会影响免疫反应。神经系统通过释放神经递质、神经肽和神经激素来调节先天免疫反应。然而，许多与相关分子和细胞机制、免疫和神经系统之间联系的生理作用以及神经-免疫相互作用的生物学意义有关的问题仍未得到解决。秀丽隐杆线虫与其病原体之间的相互作用为神经内分泌调节免疫的机制提供了深入了解，并解决了许多与神经-免疫相互作用有关的悬而未决的问题。
