Researchers show for the first time that human immune cells contain particles that have neurotransmitters including dopamine, which plays a crucial role in immune responses.
"These particles were previously thought to only exist in neurons in the brain and we think they are, potentially, an excellent target for therapies to speed up or dampen the body's immune response, depending on the disease you're dealing with," said the author.
Neurons rely on synaptic interactions and neurotransmitters such as dopamine, which are small molecules transmitted across synapses to deliver signals from one cell to another that play a major role in reward-motivated behavior.
Authors show that a proportion of human TFH cells contain dense-core granules marked by chromogranin B, which are normally found in neuronal presynaptic terminals storing catecholamines such as dopamine. TFH cells produce high amounts of dopamine and release it upon cognate interaction with B cells.
"Like neurons, specialised T cells transfer dopamine to B cells that provides additional 'motivation' for B cells to produce the best antibodies they can to help to clear up an infection," author said.
"The human body has developed an advanced form of protection against bacteria, viruses and other foreign bodies that relies on the immune system.
"Immune responses are essential for recognizing and defending humans against substances that appear foreign and harmful to the individual."
Dopamine causes rapid translocation of intracellular ICOSL (inducible T-cell co-stimulator ligand, also known as ICOSLG) to the B-cell surface, which enhances accumulation of CD40L and chromogranin B granules at the human TFHcell synapse and increases the synapse area.
The researchers analyzed around 200 tissue samples from children who had their tonsils removed, observing the transfer of dopamine from specialized T cells to B cells through a synaptic interaction.
They also worked with a mathematician to model the immune system's brain-like activity in a human in response to vaccines.
https://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature23013.html
Latest News
A vascularized model of the human liver regeneration
Norovirus and other "stomach viruses" can spread through saliva
GPUs to discover human brain connectome
Computer models predict Face dissimilarity
Activation of a glycolytic enzyme in the metastasis of pancreatic cancer
Other Top Stories
Fungicides in autism, brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases?
How long-term memories are erased
Fights are won and lost in the brain
Evidence for an Age-Dependent Decline in Axon Regeneration in the Adult Mammalian CNS
Heart failure risk increases with waistline
Protocols
Light and electron microscopic imaging of synaptic vesicle endocytosis at mouse hippocampal cultures
FLAMBE: A kinetic fluorescence polarization assay to study activation of monomeric BAX
Single-cell mass spectrometry
A behavioral paradigm for measuring perceptual distances in mice
Rapid detection of an Ebola biomarker with optical microring resonators
Publications
Conserved meningeal lymphatic drainage circuits in mice and humans
Junctional instability in neuroepithelium and network hyperexcitability in a focal cortical dyspl…
A vascularized model of the human liver mimics regenerative responses
Mobilization-based chemotherapy-free engraftment of gene-edited human hematopoietic stem cells
Enteric viruses replicate in salivary glands and infect through saliva
Presentations
Hydrogels in Drug Delivery
Lipids
Cell biology of carbohydrate metabolism
RNA interference (RNAi)
RNA structure and functions
Posters
ASCO-2020-HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
ASCO-2020-HEAD AND NECK CANCER
ASCO-2020-GENITOURINARY CANCER–KIDNEY AND BLADDER
ASCO-2020-GENITOURINARY CANCER–PROSTATE, TESTICULAR, AND PENILE
ASCO-2020-GYNECOLOGIC CANCER