Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0848237 (acute stress)
 4,619 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Increased blood-brain-barrier (BBB) permeability precedes any clinical or pathologic signs and is critical in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) and brain metastases. CD4+ TH1 cells mediate demyelination in MS, but how they get sensitized and enter the brain to induce brain inflammation remains obscure. TH2 cytokines associated with allergic disorders have recently been implicated in MS, while genes upregulated in MS plaques include the mast cell-specific tryptase, the IgE receptor (Fc-epsilon-RI) and the histamine-1 receptor. Mast cell specific tryptase is elevated in the CSF of MS patients, induces microvascular leakage and stimulates protease-activated receptors (PAR), leading to widespread inflammation. BBB permeability, MS and brain metastases appear to worsen in response to acute stress that leads to the local release of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), which activates brain mast cells to selectively release IL-6, IL-8 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Acute stress increases BBB permeability that is dependent on CRH and mast cells. Acute stress shortens the time of onset of experimental alleric encephalomyelitis (EAE) that does not develop in W/W mast cell deficient or CRH -/- mice. Brain mast cell inhibition and CRHR antagonists offer novel therapeutic possibilities.
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PMID:Corticotropin-releasing hormone and the blood-brain-barrier. 1712 8

A growing number of studies show strong associations between stress and altered immune function. In vivo studies of chronic and acute stress have demonstrated that cognitive stressors are strongly correlated with high levels of catecholamines (CT) and corticosteroids (CS). Although both CS and CT individually can inhibit the production of T-helper 1 (TH1, type-1 like) cytokines and simultaneously promote the production of T-helper 2 (TH2, type-2 like) cytokines in antigen-specific and mitogen stimulated human leukocyte cultures in vitro, little attention has been focused on the effects of combination CT and CS in immune responses that may be more physiologically relevant. We therefore investigated the combined effects of in vitro CT and CS upon the type-1/type-2 cytokine balance of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) as a model to study the immunomodulatory effects of superimposed acute and chronic stress. Results demonstrated a significant decrease in type-1 cytokine production (IFN-gamma) and a significant increase in type-2 cytokine production (IL-4, IL-10) in our CS+CT incubated cultures when compared to either CT or CS agents alone. Furthermore, variable enhancement of type-1/type-2 immune deviation occurred depending upon when the CT was added. The data suggest that CS can increase the sensitivity of PBMC to the immunomodulatory effects of CT and establishes an in vitro model to study the combined effects of in vivo type-1/type-2 cytokine alterations observed in acute and chronic stress.
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PMID:Cooperative effects of corticosteroids and catecholamines upon immune deviation of the type-1/type-2 cytokine balance in favor of type-2 expression in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. 1748 54

It has been observed that acute stress causes the activation of TH1 cells, while TH2 cells regulate and act on chronic inflammation. Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic, idiopathic disorder which affects about twelve million people in the United States. FM is characterized by chronic widespread pain, fatigue, aching, joint stiffness, depression, cognitive dysfunction and non-restorative sleep. The mechanism of induction of muscle pain and inflammation is not yet clear. In FM there is an increase in reactivity of central neurons with increased sensitivity localized mainly in the CNS. Mast cells are involved in FM by releasing proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, chemical mediators, and PGD2. TNF is a cytokine generated by MCs and its level is higher in FM. The inhibition of pro-inflammatory IL-1 family members and TNF by IL-37 in FM could have a therapeutic effect. Here, we report for the first time the relationship between MCs, inflammatory cytokines and the new anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-37 in FM.
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PMID:Low-grade chronic inflammation mediated by mast cells in fibromyalgia: role of IL-37. 2968 96