neuropeptide-y and Staphylococcal-Infections

Topics: Acute-Phase Proteins; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Blood Proteins; Cells, Cultured; Female; Interleukin-18; Matrix Metalloproteinase 14; Neuropeptide Y; Proteome; Sepsis; Staphylococcal Infections; Staphylococcus epidermidis; Swine

The vaginal epithelium provides a barrier to pathogens and recruits immune defenses through the secretion of cytokines and chemokines. Several studies have shown that mucosal sites are innervated by norepinephrine-containing nerve fibers. Here we report that norepinephrine potentiates the proinflammatory response of human vaginal epithelial cells to products produced by Staphylococcus aureus, a pathogen that causes menstrual toxic shock syndrome. The cells exhibit immunoreactivity for catecholamine synthesis enzymes and the norepinephrine transporter. Moreover, the cells secrete norepinephrine and dopamine at low concentrations. These results indicate that norepinephrine may serve as an autocrine modulator of proinflammatory responses in the vaginal epithelium.

Topics: Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; Cell Line, Transformed; Dopamine; Epithelial Cells; Female; Humans; Immunomodulation; Interleukin-6; Interleukin-8; Neuroimmunomodulation; Neuropeptide Y; Norepinephrine; Peptide Fragments; Phentolamine; Propranolol; Shock, Septic; Staphylococcal Infections; Superantigens; Vagina; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide

Within the immunosuppressive ocular microenvironment, there are constitutively present the immunomodulating neuropeptides alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) that promote suppressor functionality in macrophages. In this study, we examined the possibility that α-MSH and NPY modulate phagocytic activity in macrophages. The macrophages treated with α-MSH and NPY were significantly suppressed in their capacity to phagocytize unopsonized Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bioparticles, but not antibody-opsonized bioparticles. The neuropeptides significantly suppressed phagolysosome activation, and the FcR-associated generation of reactive oxidative species as well. This suppression corresponds to neuropeptide modulation of macrophage functionality within the ocular microenvironment to suppress the activation of immunogenic inflammation.

Topics: alpha-MSH; Animals; Cell Line, Tumor; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli Infections; Leukemia, Monocytic, Acute; Macrophages; Mice; Neuroimmunomodulation; Neuropeptide Y; Phagocytosis; Phagosomes; Reactive Oxygen Species; Retina; Staphylococcal Infections; Staphylococcus aureus