title: Neuropeptide Y effects on murine natural killer activity: changes with ageing and cAMP involvement.
abstract: Changes in the bidirectional interaction between the nervous and the immune systems have been proposed as a cause of ageing. Neuropeptides, such as neuropeptide Y (NPY), could show different effects on immune function with age. In the present work, we have studied the in vitro action of a wide range of NPY concentrations, i.e. from 10(-13) to 10(-7) M, on natural killer (NK) activity, a function which decreases with age. Spleen, axillary nodes, thymus and peritoneum leukocytes from mice of different ages: young (12+/-2 weeks), adult (24+/-2 weeks), mature (50+/-2 weeks) and old (72+/-2 weeks) were used. Stimulation by NPY of NK activity was observed in adult and mature animals in axillary nodes and thymus, and an inhibition in the spleen from young mice. The specificity of the NPY effect on cytotoxic activity was confirmed using a C-terminal fragment of NPY. Furthermore, cAMP levels in leukocytes were found to be decreased by NPY in adult mice, suggesting an involvement of this messenger system in the NK modulation by this neuropeptide.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Animal II, Fisiología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Complutense, Av. Complutense E-28040, Madrid, Spain. mondelaf@eucmax.sim.ucm.es
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De la Fuente
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Del Río
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Víctor
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Medina
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000502:physiology*; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C059889:neuropeptide Y (18-36); D000242:Cyclic AMP