Abstract
Neural circuits regulate cytokine production to prevent potentially damaging inflammation. A prototypical vagus nerve circuit, the inflammatory reflex, inhibits tumor necrosis factor-α production in spleen by a mechanism requiring acetylcholine signaling through the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor expressed on cytokine-producing macrophages. Nerve fibers in spleen lack the enzymatic machinery necessary for acetylcholine production; therefore, how does this neural circuit terminate in cholinergic signaling? We identified an acetylcholine-producing, memory phenotype T cell population in mice that is integral to the inflammatory reflex. These acetylcholine-producing T cells are required for inhibition of cytokine production by vagus nerve stimulation. Thus, action potentials originating in the vagus nerve regulate T cells, which in turn produce the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, required to control innate immune responses.
Publication types
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Acetylcholine / biosynthesis*
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Action Potentials
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Animals
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CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
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CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism*
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Choline O-Acetyltransferase / metabolism
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Cholinergic Agents / metabolism
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Female
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Immunity, Innate*
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Immunologic Memory
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Inflammation
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Lymphocyte Activation
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Male
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Mice
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Mice, Inbred BALB C
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Mice, Nude
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Neuroimmunomodulation*
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Norepinephrine / pharmacology
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Receptors, Nicotinic / metabolism
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Signal Transduction
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Spleen / immunology
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Spleen / innervation
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Spleen / metabolism
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T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
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T-Lymphocyte Subsets / metabolism
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Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / blood
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Vagus Nerve / physiology*
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Vagus Nerve Stimulation
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alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor
Substances
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Cholinergic Agents
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Chrna7 protein, mouse
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Receptors, Nicotinic
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Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
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alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor
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Choline O-Acetyltransferase
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Acetylcholine
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Norepinephrine