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Abstract
Cytokines, peptide hormones and neurotransmitters, as well as their receptors/ligands,
are endogenous to the brain, endocrine and immune systems. These shared ligands and
receptors are used as a common chemical language for communication within and between
the immune and neuroendocrine systems. Such communication suggests an immunoregulatory
role for the brain and a sensory function for the immune system. Interplay between
the immune, nervous and endocrine systems is most commonly associated with the pronounced
effects of stress on immunity. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is the
key player in stress responses; it is well established that both external and internal
stressors activate the HPA axis. Cytokines are chemical messengers that stimulate
the HPA axis when the body is under stress or experiencing an infection. This review
discusses current knowledge of cytokine signaling pathways in neuro-immune-endocrine
interactions as viewed through the triplet HPA axis. In addition, we elaborate on
HPA/cytokine interactions in oxidative stress within the context of nuclear factor-kappaB
transcriptional regulation and the role of oxidative markers and related gaseous transmitters.