Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
Curr Opin Immunol. 2021 Jun;70:1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.coi.2020.11.008. Epub 2020 Dec 24.
Neuroimmune system is nowadays considered as one complex, but unique example of coordination between cellular and molecular networks, only apparently segregated, but strictly collaborating for the maintenance of body integrity. Too often, serotonin and its metabolites have been considered merely as neurotransmitters, when they have multiple effects spreading from the modulation of mood and behavioral processes to the regulation of a wide range of physiologic and pathophysiologic processes in most human organs, not least the immune response. The purpose of this review is to highlight the importance of metabolites generated along the serotonin pathway in the constant dialogue between neuroendocrine and immune systems; moreover, we would like to point out that the molecules produced in the two main routes of tryptophan metabolism are involved in a loop of self-regulation aimed at maintaining the equilibrium between these two metabolic pathways in the neuroimmune system, in both physiologic and pathologic conditions.
神经免疫系统如今被认为是细胞和分子网络之间协调的一个复杂但独特的例子，尽管表面上是分开的，但为了维持身体的完整性，它们严格地合作。通常情况下，人们仅仅认为血清素及其代谢物是神经递质，但它们具有多种作用，从调节情绪和行为过程到调节大多数人体器官的广泛生理和病理过程，包括免疫反应。这篇综述的目的是强调沿着血清素途径生成的代谢物在神经内分泌和免疫系统之间持续对话中的重要性；此外，我们还想指出，色氨酸代谢的两条主要途径中产生的分子参与了自我调节的循环，旨在维持神经免疫系统中这两条代谢途径之间的平衡，无论是在生理还是病理条件下。
