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Cytokines are a broad and loose category of small proteins important in cell signaling. Cytokines are peptides and cannot cross the lipid bilayer of cells to enter the cytoplasm. Cytokines have been shown to be involved in autocrine, paracrine and endocrine signaling as immunomodulating agents. Their definite distinction from hormones is still part of ongoing research.
Neuroimmunology is a field combining neuroscience, the study of the nervous system, and immunology, the study of the immune system. Neuroimmunologists seek to better understand the interactions of these two complex systems during development, homeostasis, and response to injuries. A long-term goal of this rapidly developing research area is to further develop our understanding of the pathology of certain neurological diseases, some of which have no clear etiology. In doing so, neuroimmunology contributes to development of new pharmacological treatments for several neurological conditions. Many types of interactions involve both the nervous and immune systems including the physiological functioning of the two systems in health and disease, malfunction of either and or both systems that leads to disorders, and the physical, chemical, and environmental stressors that affect the two systems on a daily basis.
The neuroimmune system is a system of structures and processes involving the biochemical and electrophysiological interactions between the nervous system and immune system which protect neurons from pathogens. It serves to protect neurons against disease by maintaining selectively permeable barriers, mediating neuroinflammation and wound healing in damaged neurons, and mobilizing host defenses against pathogens.
Interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) also known as leukocytic pyrogen, leukocytic endogenous mediator, mononuclear cell factor, lymphocyte activating factor and other names, is a cytokine protein that in humans is encoded by the IL1B gene. There are two genes for interleukin-1 (IL-1): IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta. IL-1β precursor is cleaved by cytosolic caspase 1 to form mature IL-1β.
E-selectin, also known as CD62 antigen-like family member E (CD62E), endothelial-leukocyte adhesion molecule 1 (ELAM-1), or leukocyte-endothelial cell adhesion molecule 2 (LECAM2), is a selectin cell adhesion molecule expressed only on endothelial cells activated by cytokines. Like other selectins, it plays an important part in inflammation. In humans, E-selectin is encoded by the SELE gene.
p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases are a class of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) that are responsive to stress stimuli, such as cytokines, ultraviolet irradiation, heat shock, and osmotic shock, and are involved in cell differentiation, apoptosis and autophagy. Persistent activation of the p38 MAPK pathway in muscle satellite cells due to ageing, impairs muscle regeneration.
Porphyromonas gingivalis belongs to the phylum Bacteroidota and is a nonmotile, Gram-negative, rod-shaped, anaerobic, pathogenic bacterium. It forms black colonies on blood agar.
Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2(TREM2) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the TREM2 gene. TREM2 is expressed on macrophages, immature monocyte-derived dendritic cells, osteoclasts, and microglia, which are immune cells in the central nervous system. In the liver, TREM2 is expressed by several cell types, including macrophages, that respond to injury. In the intestine, TREM2 is expressed by myeloid-derived dendritic cells and macrophage. TREM2 is overexpressed in many tumor types and has anti-inflammatory activities. It might therefore be a good therapeutic target.
Prevotella is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria.
Aggressive periodontitis describes a type of periodontal disease and includes two of the seven classifications of periodontitis as defined by the 1999 classification system:
- Localized aggressive periodontitis (LAP)
- Generalized aggressive periodontitis (GAP)
The red complex is a group of bacteria that are categorized together based on their association with severe forms of periodontal disease. The red complex—among a number of other complexes—were classified by Sigmund Socransky in 1998.
Well studied Periodontal pathogens are bacteria that have been shown to significantly contribute to periodontitis.
Gingipain R is an enzyme. This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction:
Gingipain K is an enzyme. This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction
Prevotella nigrescens is a species of bacterium. Prevotella nigrescens has a gram negative gram stain. When P. nigrescens microflora colonize they trigger an over-aggressive response from the immune system and increase the incidence of many diseases and infections. One specific type of bacteria that is part of the normal oral flora but leads to disease when it infects the local tissue. This bacteria has no means of motility and has a Bacilli (rod) shape. Prevotella species are part of the human oral and vaginal flora. They play a role in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease, gingivitis, and extraoral infections such as nasopharyngeal and intra-abdominal infections also some odontogenic infections, and strains are usually carried in families, in so-called intrafamilial carriage. It is also associated with carotid atherosclerosis.
Prevotella albensis, previously known as Bacteroides ruminicola subsp. ruminicola, is a species of bacterium.
Prevotella brevis is a species of bacterium.
Prevotella bryantii, previously known as Bacteroides ruminicola ruminicola subsp. brevis biovar 3, is a species of bacterium.
Neuroinflammation is inflammation of the nervous tissue. It may be initiated in response to a variety of cues, including infection, traumatic brain injury, toxic metabolites, or autoimmunity. In the central nervous system (CNS), including the brain and spinal cord, microglia are the resident innate immune cells that are activated in response to these cues. The CNS is typically an immunologically privileged site because peripheral immune cells are generally blocked by the blood–brain barrier (BBB), a specialized structure composed of astrocytes and endothelial cells. However, circulating peripheral immune cells may surpass a compromised BBB and encounter neurons and glial cells expressing major histocompatibility complex molecules, perpetuating the immune response. Although the response is initiated to protect the central nervous system from the infectious agent, the effect may be toxic and widespread inflammation as well as further migration of leukocytes through the blood–brain barrier.
Microglia are the primary immune cells of the central nervous system, similar to peripheral macrophages. They respond to pathogens and injury by changing morphology and migrating to the site of infection/injury, where they destroy pathogens and remove damaged cells.
References
- ↑ Stathopoulou, PG. Epithelial cell pro-inflammatory cytokine response differs across dental plaque bacterial species. J Clin Perio 2010;37:24–29
- ↑ Dominy, S.S., Lynch, C., Ermini, F., Benedyk, M., Marczyk, A., Konradi, A., Nguyen, M., Haditsch, U., Raha, D., Griffin, C. and Holsinger, L.J., 2019. Porphyromonas gingivalis in Alzheimer’s disease brains: Evidence for disease causation and treatment with small-molecule inhibitors. Science Advances, 5(1), p.eaau3333.
- ↑ New Scientist 29 January 2019
