Neuropeptide Precursor Processing in Immunocytes: Involvement in Neuroimmune Communication

R. Day (1) , M. Salzet (2)

1 Département de Pharmacologie
2 NA - Neuroimmunologie des annélides

Communication and reciprocal regulation between the nervous, endocrine and immune systems are essential for the stability of the organism. Among others, cytokines, hormones and neuropeptides have been identified as signalling molecules mediating the communication between the three systems. Neuropeptides, originally described in the central nervous system (CNS), were also found to be expressed by immune cells and exhibit a number of immunomodulatory properties (Stefano and Salzet 1999; Salzet, Vieau et al. 2000; Blalock 2005) (Elmquist, Scammell et al. 1997). In the last few years various animal models have served to study neuroimmune mechanisms confirming the view of communication between the neuroendocrine and immune systems via neuropeptide signalling (Stefano and Salzet 1999; Salzet, Vieau et al. 2000; Blalock 2005). Another emerging function of neuropeptides within the immune system is their direct roles in defence. Peptides with antibacterial properties have been shown to be derived from neuropeptide precursors such as proenkephalin and chromogranin B (Salzet and Stefano 1997; Salzet, Vieau et al. 2000; Salzet 2001; Salzet 2002; Metz-Boutigue, Kieffer et al. 2003). The role of neuropeptide precursors in immunity, through the release of antibacterial peptides, is an entirely novel concept (Day and Salzet 2002). Antibacterial peptides implicated in the innate immune response also derive from processing of "true" proantibacterial peptide precursors like prodefensin (Salzet 2002). Therefore, enzymatic processing, including differential processing events, is a key mechanism to generate an antimicrobial defence in tissues.

Mots clés: Endocrine Phenotype; immune cells; antimicrobial peptides; prohormones convertases

Domaines: Immunologie; Biochimie, Biologie Moléculaire; Biologie animale

R. Day, M. Salzet. Neuropeptide Precursor Processing in Immunocytes: Involvement in Neuroimmune Communication. NP. Plonikoff;RE. Faith;AJ. Murgo;RA. Good. Cytokines: Stress and Immunity, Second Edition, CRC press, pp.405, 2006. ⟨hal-00167319⟩