title: Passage of immunomodulators across the blood-brain barrier.
abstract: The question is considered of how and where cytokines, such as interleukin 1 (IL-1), that are released into the circulation during the host defense response, reach and interact with the central nervous system to produce fever or act as neuroimmunomodulators. Evidence is presented suggesting a role for a brain circumventricular organ (CVO) in this respect. Several interactions between a specific CVO, the organum vasculosum laminae terminalis (OVLT) and endogenous pyrogen (EP) in the production of fever are reviewed. A more general hypothesis is developed on a role for the brain CVOs in monitoring the blood concentrations of several proteins and complex polypeptides such as the circulating endocrines that are regulated via the autonomic nervous system. A proposed connection between the release of prostaglandin E (PGE) at the blood-brain interface in response to infection and the ability of the brain to maintain an immunoprivileged status in the face of exposure of its CVOs to foreign antigens is discussed.
authors.affiliation: John B. Pierce Foundation Laboratory, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Stitt
mesh_terms: D000210:Acute-Phase Reaction / Q000209:etiology; D000818:Animals; D001685:Biological Factors / Q000502:physiology; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000502:physiology*; D016207:Cytokines; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology*; D011458:Prostaglandins E / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D001685:Biological Factors; D016207:Cytokines; D011458:Prostaglandins E