Catecholamines and acetylcholine are key regulators of the interaction between microbes and the immune system

Abstract

Recent studies suggest that catecholamines (CAs) and acetylcholine (ACh) play essential roles in the crosstalk between microbes and the immune system. Host cholinergic afferent fibers sense pathogen-associated molecular patterns and trigger efferent cholinergic and catecholaminergic pathways that alter immune cell proliferation, differentiation, and cytokine production. On the other hand, microbes have the ability to produce and degrade ACh and also regulate autogenous functions in response to CAs. Understanding the role played by these neurotransmitters in host-microbe interactions may provide valuable information for the development of novel therapies.

Expression and Functional Role of α7 Nicotinic Receptor in Human Cytokine-stimulated Natural Killer (NK) Cells

“…However, immune cells, including T and B cells, macrophages, and DCs have been shown to be capable of synthesizing and releasing ACh, a process that is up-regulated during inflammation (66). Also, lymph nodes have an additional source of ACh from autonomic nerve terminals (67).…”

The Role of Norepinephrine and Its α-Adrenergic Receptors in the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder and Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review

“…Elevated peripheral inflammation may precipitate aberrant CNS inflammatory signaling with subsequent disruption of monoamine and glutamate transmission, in part by inappropriately activating brain microglia (100). Both α- and β-ARs have a key role in regulating macrophage and microglia activity (101, 102). Thus, compromised NE transmission may promote a pro-inflammatory phenotype consistent with depressive psychopathology.…”

Destress and do not suppress: targeting adrenergic signaling in tumor immunosuppression

“…Most cancer patients experience high levels of stress derived from diagnosis and treatment, and stress is known to negatively affect the immune system and response to treatment. Crosstalk between the autonomic nervous system and immune response is well established (13). In fact, tumors secrete neural growth factors to attract autonomic innervation in an angiogenesis-like manner (14).…”