Neuroimmunoendocrine circuitry of the 'brain-skin connection'.
The skin offers an ideally suited, clinically relevant model for studying the crossroads between peripheral and systemic responses to stress. A 'brain-skin connection' with local neuroimmunoendocrine circuitry underlies the pathogenesis of allergic and inflammatory skin diseases, triggered or aggravated by stress. In stressed mice, corticotropin-releasing hormone, nerve growth factor, neurotensin, substance P and mast cells are recruited hierarchically to induce neurogenic skin inflammation, which inhibits hair growth. The hair follicle is both a target and a source for immunomodulatory stress mediators, and has an equivalent of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. Thus, the skin and its appendages enable the study of complex neuroimmunoendocrine responses that peripheral tissues launch upon stress exposure, as a basis for identifying new targets for therapeutic stress intervention.
Paus
Ralf
R
Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, University of Lübeck, D-23538 Lübeck, Germany. ralf.paus@uk-sh.de
Theoharides
Theoharis C
TC
Arck
Petra Clara
PC
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009474:Neurons / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology