[Immunity and somatostatin receptors].
The presence of at least three different types of somatostatin receptors in the thymus has been demonstrated using molecular biology techniques or radioimmunological methods. In view of the chemotactical activity shown by somatostatin in other lymphopoietic regions like bone marrow, it was hypothesised that this neuropeptide might play a role in regulating cell migration in the thymus. The selective expression of somatostatin receptors on specific immunocompetent cells, both circulating and in lymphatic organs, allows the neuropeptide to have a modulating action also on the immune system. Functional studies have also shown that somatostatin can influence cell proliferation, cytokine and immunoglobulin production, natural killer cytotoxic activity, the maturation and migration of immune cells in both blood and lymphopoietic tissues. More recent evidence has enabled us to evaluate the altered expression of somatostatin receptors on lymphomonocytes during systemic disease.
Peluso
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Dipartimento di Oncologia Sperimentale, Clinica Sperimentale Magrassi-Lanzara S.U.N., Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione Pascale, Naples, Italy.
Mansi
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D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D007121:Immunocompetence / Q000187:drug effects; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation / Q000502:physiology*; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D016207:Cytokines; D017481:Receptors, Somatostatin; D013004:Somatostatin