title: Dysfunctional brain-bone marrow communication: a paradigm shift in the pathophysiology of hypertension.
abstract: It is widely accepted that the pathophysiology of hypertension involves autonomic nervous system dysfunction, as well as a multitude of immune responses. However, the close interplay of these systems in the development and establishment of high blood pressure and its associated pathophysiology remains elusive and is the subject of extensive investigation. It has been proposed that an imbalance of the neuro-immune systems is a result of an enhancement of the "proinflammatory sympathetic" arm in conjunction with dampening of the "anti-inflammatory parasympathetic" arm of the autonomic nervous system. In addition to the neuronal modulation of the immune system, it is proposed that key inflammatory responses are relayed back to the central nervous system and alter the neuronal communication to the periphery. The overall objective of this review is to critically discuss recent advances in the understanding of autonomic immune modulation, and propose a unifying hypothesis underlying the mechanisms leading to the development and maintenance of hypertension, with particular emphasis on the bone marrow, as it is a crucial meeting point for neural, immune, and vascular networks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, University of Florida, College of Medicine, 1345 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
authors.forename: Monica M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Santisteban
authors.forename: Jasenka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zubcevic
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Baekey
authors.forename: Mohan K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Raizada
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000503:physiopathology; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology