title: Antiphase signalling in the neuroendocrine-immune system in healthy humans.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Any quantity varying in the spatial-temporal dimension may be considered as a signal. Human lymphocyte cell surface molecules and subsets present circadian variation and this variation may represent a kind of signalling in the neuroendocrine-immune system. We have analyzed the dynamics of variation of specific lymphocyte subsets in healthy humans.
  
  
  METHODS
  In our study, lymphocyte subpopulation analyses were performed and cortisol, melatonin, GH and TSH serum levels were measured on blood samples collected every 4h for 24 hours from eleven healthy men, ages 35-53 years (mean=44±6SD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A clear circadian rhythm was validated for CD8 and cortisol with acrophase during the day and for CD3, CD4, melatonin, GH and TSH with acrophase at night. Cross-correlation showed that CD3 correlated positively with CD4 (ρ=0.67, P<0.05) and negatively with CD8 (ρ=-0.41, P<0.05), CD4 correlated positively with melatonin (ρ=0.90, P<0.05), GH (ρ=0.92, P<0.05) and TSH (ρ=0.71, P<0.05), negatively with CD8 (ρ=-0.90, P<0.05) and cortisol (ρ=-0.18, P<0.05), CD8 correlated positively with cortisol (ρ=0.38, P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The different profiles of nyctohemeral changes of lymphocyte cell surface molecules and specific lymphocyte subsets realize different relationships with the neuroendocrine hormones and might represent a way of signal transmission among the multiple components of the neuroendocrine-immune system.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine and Chronobiology Unit, S. Giovanni Rotondo, Italy. g.mazzoccoli@tin.it
authors: Gianluigi
authors: G
authors: Mazzoccoli
authors: Lucia Anna
authors: LA
authors: Muscarella
authors: Vito Michele
authors: VM
authors: Fazio
authors: Ada
authors: A
authors: Piepoli
authors: Valerio
authors: V
authors: Pazienza
authors: Mariangela Pia
authors: MP
authors: Dagostino
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Giuliani
authors: Victoria O
authors: VO
authors: Polyakova
authors: Igor
authors: I
authors: Kvetnoy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007107:Immune System / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D009489:Neurosecretion / Q000502:physiology*; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D013972:Thyrotropin; D008550:Melatonin; D006854:Hydrocortisone