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[Normal and pathologic implication of cytokines]
A Stratone1, C Stratone, R Chiruţă
1Facultatea de Medicină, Disciplina de Explorări Funcţionale, Facultatea de Bioinginerie Medicală, Universitatea de Medicină şi Farmacie Gr. T. Popa Iaşi.
Insights
Cytokines, immune messengers, also act as neurotransmitters affecting various bodily functions. Imbalances in cytokine production link to hormonal disorders and neurological conditions like Alzheimer's disease and depression.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimmunology
- Molecular Biology
- Endocrinology
Context:
- Cytokines are signaling molecules crucial for immune responses.
- They exhibit neurotransmitter-like functions, interacting with cell membrane receptors.
- Synthesized by diverse cell types, their production is gene-regulated.
Purpose:
- To explore the dual role of cytokines in immune and neurological processes.
- To investigate the link between cytokine dysregulation and various diseases.
- To highlight the impact of cytokines on hormonal axes and psychiatric disorders.
Summary:
- Cytokines, functioning as both immune mediators and neurotransmitters, influence diverse biological effects.
- They are detectable via immunoassay and bioassay methods.
- Their implication in the hypothalamo-hypophyso-corticopsuprarenal and gonad axis affects reproductive functions.
- Neuronal cytokine imbalances are linked to psychiatric conditions like schizophrenia, depression, and Alzheimer's disease.
- Therapeutic cytokine use (e.g., interferon) can induce neurological side effects.
Impact:
- Provides insights into the complex roles of cytokines in health and disease.
- Suggests potential therapeutic targets for neurological and hormonal disorders.
- Underscores the importance of cytokine balance in maintaining physiological homeostasis.
Abstract:
Cytokines involved in the immune process proof, also, the neurotransmitter role, being synthesized by various cells of the body, with specific genes participation. Cytokines can act on the some membrane receptor like the neurotransmitters, and they can produce diverse biological effects. Pro-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory or haematopoetic cytokines as those in the central nervous system can be identified by immunoassay and bioassay methods. Recent works show that the cytokines implication in hypothalamo-hypophyso-corticopsuprarenal and gonad axis have consequence on ACTH, corticoids and LH secretion, explaining the ovulatory and gestational disorders. Excessive or insufficient cytokines synthesis, at neuronal level (astrocytes, microglies), explains psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, depression, Alzheimer's disease; cytokines (interferon) long term use for the treatment of some diseases, produce irritability, anxiety, delirium, and confusion etc.