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      Approaches Mediating Oxytocin Regulation of the Immune System

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          Abstract

          The hypothalamic neuroendocrine system is mainly composed of the neural structures regulating hormone secretion from the pituitary gland and has been considered as the higher regulatory center of the immune system. Recently, the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system (HNS) emerged as an important component of neuroendocrine–immune network, wherein the oxytocin (OT)-secreting system (OSS) plays an essential role. The OSS, consisting of OT neurons in the supraoptic nucleus, paraventricular nucleus, their several accessory nuclei and associated structures, can integrate neural, endocrine, metabolic, and immune information and plays a pivotal role in the development and functions of the immune system. The OSS can promote the development of thymus and bone marrow, perform immune surveillance, strengthen immune defense, and maintain immune homeostasis. Correspondingly, OT can inhibit inflammation, exert antibiotic-like effect, promote wound healing and regeneration, and suppress stress-associated immune disorders. In this process, the OSS can release OT to act on immune system directly by activating OT receptors or through modulating activities of other hypothalamic–pituitary–immune axes and autonomic nervous system indirectly. However, our understandings of the role of the OSS in neuroendocrine regulation of immune system are largely incomplete, particularly its relationship with other hypothalamic–pituitary–immune axes and the vasopressin-secreting system that coexists with the OSS in the HNS. In addition, it remains unclear about the relationship between the OSS and peripherally produced OT in immune regulation, particularly intrathymic OT that is known to elicit central immunological self-tolerance of T-cells to hypophysial hormones. In this work, we provide a brief review of current knowledge of the features of OSS regulation of the immune system and of potential approaches that mediate OSS coordination of the activities of entire neuroendocrine–immune network.

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          Oxytocin is an age-specific circulating hormone that is necessary for muscle maintenance and regeneration

          The regenerative capacity of skeletal muscle declines with age. Previous studies suggest that this process can be reversed by exposure to young circulation, but systemic age-specific factors responsible for this phenomenon are largely unknown. Here we report that oxytocin- a hormone best known for its role in lactation, parturition, and social behaviors - is required for proper muscle tissue regeneration and homeostasis, and that plasma levels of oxytocin decline with age. Inhibition of oxytocin signaling in young animals reduces muscle regeneration, whereas systemic administration of oxytocin rapidly improves muscle regeneration by enhancing aged muscle stem cell activation/proliferation throughactivation of the MAPK/ERK signalling pathway. We further show that the genetic lack of oxytocin does not cause a developmental defect in muscle, but instead leads to premature sarcopenia. Considering that oxytocin is an FDA approved drug, this work reveals a potential novel and safe way to combat or prevent skeletal muscle aging.
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            Sex, the aging immune system, and chronic disease.

            The immune systems of men and women differ in significant ways, especially after puberty. In particular, females are generally more prone to autoimmunity, but experience lower rates of infections and chronic inflammatory disease. Sex hormones, genes encoded on the sex chromosomes, and gender-specific behaviors likely contribute to these differences. The aging process is associated with changes in the composition and function of the immune system and these changes may occur at an accelerated rate in men as compared to women. Moreover, after the age of menopause, the incidence of chronic inflammatory disease in women approaches or exceeds that observed in males. At the same time, the incidence of autoimmunity in post-menopausal women is decreased or equivalent to the rates observed in similarly-aged men. Additional studies addressing the influence of sex on the pathogenesis of chronic and autoimmune diseases in the aged are warranted.
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              Involvement of bone marrow cells and neuroinflammation in hypertension.

              Microglial activation in autonomic brain regions is a hallmark of neuroinflammation in neurogenic hypertension. Despite evidence that an impaired sympathetic nerve activity supplying the bone marrow (BM) increases inflammatory cells and decreases angiogenic cells, little is known about the reciprocal impact of BM-derived inflammatory cells on neuroinflammation in hypertension.
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                Author and article information

                Contributors
                Journal
                Front Immunol
                Front Immunol
                Front. Immunol.
                Frontiers in Immunology
                Frontiers Media S.A.
                1664-3224
                10 January 2017
                2016
                : 7
                : 693
                Affiliations
                [1] 1School of Basic Medical Sciences, Harbin Medical University , Harbin, China
                [2] 2Department of Internal Medicine, Albany Medical Center , Albany, NY, USA
                Author notes

                Edited by: Kai Fang, University of California Los Angeles, USA

                Reviewed by: Honoo Satake, Suntory, Japan; Salvatore Andrea Mastrolia, University of Bari, Italy; Vincent Geenen, University of Liège, Belgium

                *Correspondence: Yu-Feng Wang, yufengwang@ 123456ems.hrbmu.edu.cn

                These authors have contributed equally to this work.

                Specialty section: This article was submitted to Inflammation, a section of the journal Frontiers in Immunology

                Article
                10.3389/fimmu.2016.00693
                5223438
                28119696
                a3c5516c-7451-424d-ae97-79b0ddde6ad9
                Copyright © 2017 Li, Wang, Wang and Wang.

                This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

                History
                : 13 November 2016
                : 28 December 2016
                Page count
                Figures: 1, Tables: 1, Equations: 0, References: 108, Pages: 9, Words: 6991
                Categories
                Immunology
                Mini Review

                Immunology
                cytokine,hormone,hypothalamus,immune,oxytocin,thymus
                Immunology
                cytokine, hormone, hypothalamus, immune, oxytocin, thymus

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