Abstract
The ability of the nervous system to influence a variety of immune processes has been well established in mammals. There are, however, few studies on how the peripheral nervous system might affect immunity in the lower vertebrates. This study demonstrates that autonomic neurotransmitters (or their analogs) can significantly influence the in vitro induction of antibody-secreting cells in cultures of splenic leukocytes from the rainbow trout. Beta-adrenergic agonists suppress, while alpha-2 adrenergic and cholinergic agonists enhance the in vitro antibody response to the T-independent antigen TNP-LPS. These effects are receptor mediated as evidenced by the action of specific receptor antagonists. These results, taken with the previous findings that the salmonid spleen contains a rich adrenergic innervation, and that chemical sympathectomy results in an enhanced in vivo antibody response, strongly suggest that autonomic neurotransmitters may affect immune function in teleosts via leukocyte receptors for these factors.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 283-294 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Developmental and Comparative Immunology |
| Volume | 14 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1990 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This work was supported in part by research funds from the Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, and in part by a National Institute of Mental Health Predoctoral Fellowship. I thank Drs. Christopher J. Bayne and Stephan L. Kaattari for their advice during this study and for comments on the manuscript. *Address correspondence to Dr. Craig M. Flory at his present address: Trudeau Institute, Saranac Lake, NY 12983.
Keywords
- Neuroimmunology
- adrenergic
- antibody response
- cholinergic
- immunopharmacology
- immunoregulation
- neurotransmitters
- rainbow trout
