title: Oxytocin-secreting system: A major part of the neuroendocrine center regulating immunologic activity.
abstract: Interactions between the nervous system and immune system have been studied extensively. However, the mechanisms underlying the neural regulation of immune activity, particularly the neuroendocrine regulation of immunologic functions, remain elusive. In this review, we provide a comprehensive examination of current evidence on interactions between the immune system and hypothalamic oxytocin-secreting system. We highlight the fact that oxytocin may have significant effects in the body, beyond its classical functions in lactation and parturition. Similar to the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis, the oxytocin-secreting system closely interacts with classical immune system, integrating both neurochemical and immunologic signals in the central nervous system and in turn affects immunologic defense, homeostasis, and surveillance. Lastly, this review explores therapeutic potentials of oxytocin in treating immunologic disorders.
authors.affiliation: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150086, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150001, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Peng
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150086, China.
authors.forename: Shujun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150001, China.
authors.forename: Liwei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY 12208, USA.
authors.forename: Stephani C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150086, China.
authors.forename: Fengmin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150086, China. Electronic address: yufengwang@ems.hrbmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yu-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology*; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010121:Oxytocin
keywords: Behavior; Cytokine; Hormone; Hypothalamus; Neuroendocrinoimmunology; Oxytocin; Paraventricular nucleus; Supraoptic nucleus; Thymus