How does the immune system work with the endocrine system

Summary

The cross-talk involving the endocrine and immune systems is now largely established. These systems actually use similar ligands and receptors to establish a physiological intra- and inter-system communication circuitry, which apparently plays a relevant role in homeostasis (reviewed in Blalock, 1992). Accordingly, classical hormones such as prolactin (PRL), growth hormone (GH) and even glucocorticoids (GC) can be produced by cells of the immune system, whereas a variety of cytokines, originally described as being produced by cells of the immune system, are synthesized and released by a variety of endocrine glands and nervous tissue. Moreover, specific receptors for such distinct molecular families can be detected in both the immune and endocrine systems.

Keywords

Neuroimmunomodulation

hormones

cytokines

hypothalamus

anterior pituitary

thyroid

thymus

thymic epithelium

Copyright © 1997 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Highlights

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Environmental stressors affecting the endocrine, immune or nervous system can induce reciprocal organ system effects.

Neuronal axons synapse with primary and secondary immune sites throughout the body.

Neurons can produce immune cytokines and immune cells can produce neurotransmitters and neuropeptides.

The immune-neuroendocrine network (INEN) differentially effects health due to sex differences and environmental exposures.

Abstract

The interconnected nature of the endocrine, immune and nervous systems has been well established. The central nervous system innervates the primary and secondary immune organs and the endocrine glands through direct axonal contact. Hormonal signals from the endocrine system influence both the nervous and immune systems with differential effects based on sex and environmental exposures. Immune cells can communicate by either cytokine or neurotransmitter release to signal the endocrine, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems. This review focuses on the effects of environmental toxicants on the inter-play between these systems with inclusion of effects from the microbiome and exposome. Endocrine disrupting chemicals and xenoestrogenic compounds affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal or gonadal axis, which can lead to hormonal alterations of communication between the nervous and immune systems. Immune responses within the nervous system and the delicate balance between appropriate response to infection/disease and detrimental effects through inappropriate response are discussed. Environmental chemicals, maternal immune activation, the microbiome, post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury are all discussed in relation to alteration of immune–neuroendocrine communications and immune responses to environmental cues.

Keywords

Allostasis

Cytokines

Hormones

Microbiome

Neurotransmitters

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