Marchetti B, Morale M C, Gallo F, Batticane N, Farinella Z, Cioni M
Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, University of Catania, 95125, Catania, Italy.
Endocrine. 1995 Dec;3(12):845-61. doi: 10.1007/BF02738890.
The interactions between the nervous, endocrine and immune systems require a complex communication network. The central nervous system (CNS) affects the immune system through endocrine, paracrine and neuronal mechanisms. Evidence that this bidirectional communication plays a vital role in the regulation of physiological homeostatic mechanisms while a disfunction of the neuroendocrineimmune balance favors the susceptibility to a number of diseases is derived largely by animal models but also by an increasing number of clinical studies in different fields, including endocrinology, reproductive physiology, pediatrics, oncology, neurology and psychiatry. An increasing number of endocrine hormones, neurotransmitters and neuropeptides are expressed in immune tissues and cells and are actively involved in the physiological regulation of immunity. Conversely, the endocrine and nervous systems harbor receptors for a wide variety of immunologically-derived substances, suggesting potential regulatory feedback loops between the three major integrative bodily systems. Major implications for the reproductive endocrinology field are that psychoneuroendocrine processes may alter fertility via immunomodulation, and that events that occur as part of immune responses influence the neuroendocrine axes, which in turn counter-regulate immune function. In the present article, some features of reproductive-immune interactions will be described, and the neuroendocrineimmune dialogue via the chief reproductive hormone, luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH), will be summarized as prototype of intersystem crosstalk. A particular emphasis will be given to the cytokine-LHRH interrelationships both at central (i.e. especially with the astroglial compartment) and peripheral levels. The surprisingly similar communication network systems used by the gonads and the thymus will be summarized, and the sexually-driven dimorphisms dictating female versus male reproductive and immunological capacities reviewed. Evidence that neural, endocrine and immune systems work together as a single unit are emphasized in animal models and human pathologies where interruption of NEI feedback loops results in long lasting pathological consequences for the nervous, endocrine and immune functions.
神经、内分泌和免疫系统之间的相互作用需要一个复杂的通讯网络。中枢神经系统（CNS）通过内分泌、旁分泌和神经元机制影响免疫系统。这种双向通讯在生理稳态机制调节中起关键作用，而神经内分泌免疫平衡失调会增加对多种疾病易感性的证据，很大程度上来自动物模型，但也来自不同领域（包括内分泌学、生殖生理学、儿科学、肿瘤学、神经学和精神病学）越来越多的临床研究。越来越多的内分泌激素、神经递质和神经肽在免疫组织和细胞中表达，并积极参与免疫的生理调节。相反，内分泌和神经系统含有多种免疫衍生物质的受体，这表明三大整合身体系统之间存在潜在的调节反馈回路。生殖内分泌领域的主要影响是，心理神经内分泌过程可能通过免疫调节改变生育能力，免疫反应过程中发生的事件会影响神经内分泌轴，进而对免疫功能进行反向调节。在本文中，将描述生殖 - 免疫相互作用的一些特征，并总结通过主要生殖激素促黄体生成素释放激素（LHRH）进行的神经内分泌免疫对话，作为系统间串扰的原型。将特别强调细胞因子与LHRH在中枢（即特别是与星形胶质细胞区室）和外周水平的相互关系。将总结性腺和胸腺使用的惊人相似的通讯网络系统，并回顾决定女性与男性生殖和免疫能力的性别驱动二态性。在动物模型和人类病理学中强调了神经、内分泌和免疫系统作为一个单一单元协同工作的证据，其中NEI反馈回路的中断会对神经、内分泌和免疫功能产生长期的病理后果。
