Tuning inflammation with anti-inflammatory neuropeptides

Abstract

The immune system is confronted with the daunting task of defending the organism against invading pathogens while at the same time remaining self-tolerant to the body’s own constituents and preserving its integrity. The loss of immune tolerance stemming from an unbalance in pro-inflammatory factors versus anti-inflammatory cytokines, or of autoreactive/inflammatory T helper 1 cells versus regulatory/suppressive T cells, results in the breakdown of immune homeostasis and the subsidiary appearance of exacerbated inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Some neuropeptides have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and to participate in maintaining immune tolerance. Here the authors examine the most recent developments in this field and highlight the effectiveness of using neuropeptides in treating several inflammatory and autoimmune disorders.

Keywords::

• autoimmunity
• cytokine
• inflammation
• neuropeptide
• regulatory T cell
• tolerance

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the many researchers and laboratories that have contributed to our understanding of the fundamental roles that neuropeptides play in immunology. This work was supported by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Health, the National Institutes of Health and Junta de Andalucia.

Notes