Found: The dial in the brain that controls the immune system

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01259-2
  • NEWS
  • 01 May 2024

Scientists identify the brain cells that regulate inflammation, and pinpoint how they keep tabs on the immune response.

By

  1. Giorgia Guglielmi
    1. Giorgia Guglielmi is a science journalist in Basel, Switzerland.

Scientists have long known that the brain plays a part in the immune system — but how it does so has been a mystery. Now, scientists have identified cells in the brainstem that sense immune cues from the periphery of the body and act as master regulators of the body’s inflammatory response.

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-01259-2

References

  1. Jin, H., Li, M., Jeong, E., Castro-Martinez, F. & Zuker, C. S. Nature https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07469-y (2024).

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Now, scientists have identified cells in the brainstem that sense <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01396-y\">immune cues from the periphery of the body</a> and act as master regulators of the body’s <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-00871-6\">inflammatory response</a>.</p>\n <div>\n <h2 id=\"access-options\">Access options</h2>\n <p>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://wayf.springernature.com/?redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fd41586-024-01259-2\">\n <span>Access through your institution</span>\n </a>\n </p>\n <section><div>\n <p>\n Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals\n </p>\n <p>\n Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription\n </p>\n <div>\n <p>\n <span>$32.99<span> / 30 days</span></span>\n </p>\n <p>cancel any time</p>\n </div>\n <div>\n <p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://shop-amers.nature.com/products/plus/?region=US\"><span>Learn more</span></a>\n </p></div>\n </div><div>\n <p>Subscribe to this journal</p>\n <p>\n Receive 52 print issues and online access\n </p>\n <div>\n <p>$199.00 per year</p>\n <p>only $3.83 per issue</p>\n </div>\n <div>\n <p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/nature/subscribe\"><span>Learn more</span></a>\n </p></div>\n </div><div>\n <p>Rent or buy this article</p>\n <p>Prices vary by article type</p>\n <p><span>from</span>$1.95</p>\n <p><span>to</span>$39.95</p>\n <div>\n <p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01259-2.epdf?no_publisher_access=1&amp;r3_referer=nature\"><span>Learn more</span></a>\n </p></div>\n </div><p>Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout</p></section>\n <h3>Additional access options:</h3>\n <ul>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://idp.nature.com/authorize/natureuser?client_id=grover&amp;redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fd41586-024-01259-2\">Log in</a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.springernature.com/gp/librarians/licensing/license-options\">Learn about institutional subscriptions</a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://support.nature.com/en/support/home\">Read our FAQs</a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.springernature.com/gp/contact\">Contact customer support</a>\n </li>\n </ul>\n </div>\n <p><em>doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-01259-2</em></p>\n <div><h2 id=\"Bib1\">References</h2><div><ol><li><p>Jin, H., Li, M., Jeong, E., Castro-Martinez, F. &amp; Zuker, C. S. <i>Nature</i> https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07469-y (2024).</p><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://doi.org/10.1038%2Fs41586-024-07469-y\">Article</a> \n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?&amp;title=&amp;journal=Nature&amp;doi=10.1038%2Fs41586-024-07469-y&amp;publication_year=2024&amp;author=Jin%2CH.&amp;author=Li%2CM.&amp;author=Jeong%2CE.&amp;author=Castro-Martinez%2CF.&amp;author=Zuker%2CC.%20S.\">\n Google Scholar</a> \n </p></li></ol><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://citation-needed.springer.com/v2/references/10.1038/d41586-024-01259-2?format=refman&amp;flavour=references\">Download references</a></p></div></div>\n <div>\n <p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://s100.copyright.com/AppDispatchServlet?title=Found%3A%20the%20dial%20in%20the%20brain%20that%20controls%20the%20immune%20system&amp;author=Giorgia%20Guglielmi&amp;contentID=10.1038%2Fd41586-024-01259-2&amp;copyright=Springer%20Nature%20Limited&amp;publication=&amp;publicationDate=2024-05-01&amp;publisherName=SpringerNature&amp;orderBeanReset=true\">Reprints and permissions</a></p>\n </div>\n <h2 id=\"related-articles\">Related Articles</h2>\n <ul>\n <li>\n <p>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00509-z\">\n <img src=\"https://media.nature.com/lw100/magazine-assets/d41586-024-01259-2/d41586-024-01259-2_24096670.jpg\" />\n Your brain could be controlling how sick you get — and how you recover\n </a>\n </p>\n </li>\n <li>\n <p>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01502-8\">\n <img src=\"https://media.nature.com/lw100/magazine-assets/d41586-024-01259-2/d41586-024-01259-2_24045344.jpg\" />\n Guardians of the brain: how a special immune system protects our grey matter\n </a>\n </p>\n </li>\n <li>\n <p>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-00169-7\">\n <img src=\"https://media.nature.com/lw100/magazine-assets/d41586-024-01259-2/d41586-024-01259-2_26671374.jpg\" />\n Can autoimmune diseases be cured? 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"author": "Guglielmi, Giorgia",
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"source": "nature.com",
"published": "2024-05-01",
"ttr": 116,
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