Emergence of cortistatin as a new immunomodulatory factor with therapeutic potential in immune disorders.
Identification of the factors that regulate the immune tolerance and control the appearance of exacerbated inflammatory conditions is crucial for the development of new therapies of autoimmune diseases. Some neuropeptides and hormones have emerged as endogenous agents that participate in the regulation of the processes that ensure self-tolerance. Among them, cortistatin, an endogenous cyclic neuropeptide relative of somatostatin, has recently shown therapeutic potential for a variety of immune disorders. Here we examine the latest research findings, which indicate that cortistatin 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.
Gonzalez-Rey
Elena
E
Departamento de Bioquimica Medica y Biologia Molecular, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla 41009, Spain.
Delgado
Mario
M
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology
D007155:Immunologic Factors; D009479:Neuropeptides; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide; C099323:cortistatin; D013004:Somatostatin