vasoactive-intestinal-peptide and Immune-System-Diseases

Since the late 1970s a number of laboratories have studied the role of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in inflammation and immunity. These studies have highlighted the dramatic effect of VIP on immune cell activation and function, and studies using animal models of disease have indicated that VIP has significant therapeutic and prophylactic potential. This review will focus on the effects of VIP on innate immune cell function and discuss the therapeutic potential for VIP in inflammatory diseases of humans.

Topics: Cytokines; Dendritic Cells; Humans; Immune System Diseases; Immunity, Innate; Inflammation Mediators; Receptors, Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; Toll-Like Receptors; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide

The induction of immune tolerance is essential for the maintenance of immune homeostasis and to limit the occurrence of exacerbated inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. Multiple mechanisms act together to ensure self-tolerance, including central clonal deletion, cytokine deviation and induction of regulatory T cells. Identifying the factors that regulate these processes is crucial for the development of new therapies of autoimmune diseases and transplantation. The vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a well-characterized endogenous anti-inflammatory neuropeptide with therapeutic potential for a variety of immune disorders. Here, we examine the latest research findings, which indicate that VIP participates in maintaining immune tolerance in two distinct ways: by regulating the balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory factors, and by inducing the emergence of regulatory T cells with suppressive activity against autoreactive T-cell effectors.

Topics: Animals; Autoimmunity; Humans; Immune System Diseases; Immune Tolerance; Models, Biological; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide