ABSTRACT
Numerousinteractionshavebeendescribedbetweenneuropeptidesandcytokinesattheparacrine,orlocalcellular level.Notonlydoneuropeptidesaffectimmunecellfunction locally,butvariouscytokinesarealsoreleasedinlargequantitiesfromdifferentnervoussystemcelltypes.Forexample,astroglialculturesstimulatedwithvasoactiveintestinalpolypeptidereleaseawiderangeofcytokines,includingIL-3,GM-CSF, IL-6,TNF-a,IFN....,,IL-1(3,andIL-la(24),andastrogliaand microgliareleasedifferentquantitiesofspecificcytokines, suchasIL-lp,inadose-relatedmanner.Giventhevarietyof cytokinesandneuropeptidesthatcouldbereleasedlocallyby closelyspacedbutheterogeneouspopulationsofcells,thepotentialforcomplexinteractionsinsuchmicroenvironmentsbecomesenormous.
