The 14th National Conference on Immunology——The Charm of Neuroimmunology

The 14th National Conference on Immunology will be held in Chengdu on October 22-24, 2021
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The two conference reports on neuroimmunity, basic and clinical echoes, are in good agreement
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Professor Qi Hai, Dean of the School of Medicine of Tsinghua University, briefly described his team’s recent work published in Nature and the role of the brain-spleen axis and behavioral regulation of antibody immunity (Figure 1).
The report is as follows: How brain activity controls the adaptation of lymphatic organs The sexual immune response is still unclear
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Professor Qi Hai and his collaborators discovered the first brain-splenic nerve circuit that can enhance the antibody response
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These studies have found that denervation of the spleen can reduce T cell-dependent plasma cell production and antibody production, but does not affect T cell-independent immune responses
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Enhancing splenic nerve activity can increase the production of plasma cells, and this process is mediated by the effect of acetylcholine on the α9 nicotinic receptor expressed by B cells
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T cells expressing choline acetyltransferase can act as a relay for noradrenergic nerves and acetylcholine innervating B cells
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In the amygdala and paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, neurons expressing corticosteroid releasing hormone (CRH) are connected to the spleen through the splenic nerve
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Deletion or inhibition of these neurons can reduce the formation of peripheral plasma cells, and activation of these neurons can increase immune responses such as plasma cell production after vaccine injection
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In addition, in a newly developed behavioral therapy, allowing mice to stand on an elevated platform can lead to the activation of neurons in the amygdala and paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and increased peripheral plasma cell production
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In vaccinated mice, the use of an elevated platform method can promote the production of antigen-specific IgG antibodies
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This phenomenon relies on CRH neurons in the amygdala and paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, intact splenic nerves and B cells expressing α9 acetylcholine receptors
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These studies have determined that a specific brain-splenic nerve connection can autonomously enhance the humoral immune response, and prove that immunity can be stimulated through physical behavior, reveal the brain's control of adaptive immunity, and propose a method of enhancing the body's immunity through behavioral intervention.
Possible
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These studies have broken through the traditional thinking framework of neuroendocrine suppression of immune function, and opened up a new paradigm and new direction for neuroimmune research
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Figure 1.
Professor Qi Hai’s report on “the role of brain-spleen axis and behavioral regulation of antibody immunity” (photo source: Zhou Xuexun) and Chief Physician Shi Fudong from Beijing Tiantan Hospital/Tianjin General Hospital-Jingjin Neuroimmune Center, for the first time here A conference report on clinical neuroimmunology will be made (Figure 2)
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Although several branch venues were held at the same time, the main venue was still full of seats (Figure 3)
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The wonderful reports of the two professors Qi Hai and Shi Fudong allowed the delegates and the Chinese Society of Immunology to appreciate the vitality and charm of basic and clinical research and practice in the field of neuroimmunology
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Figure 2.
Professor Fudong Shi’s conference report "Clinical Neuroimmune Overview" (picture source: Zhou Xuexun) Figure 3.
The main venue of the conference listening to the neuroimmune report (picture source: Zhou Xuexun) Slideshow 1 Neuroimmunity and inflammation after brain injury are in the brain or The origin and expansion of the outer periphery
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The prodrug T0080 designed by the research group can inhibit central microglia and peripheral monocytes, and reduce neuroinflammation in two aspects
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 Slide 2 The close connection between the nervous system and the immune system
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Every immune organ is innervated, and every immune cell has neurotransmitter receptors.
These structures allow the nerves to talk directly with the immune system
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In addition, immune cells and related proteins can return to the central nervous system under both physiological and pathological conditions, and the connection between the two systems is very close
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Slide 3 Neuro-immune interactions at multiple levels
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The interaction between the nervous system and the immune system exists in the heart, lungs, intestines, liver, spleen and other peripheral organs
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There are innervation, immune cells and immune factors in these organs
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Therefore, the two major systems of nerve and immunity can interact at multiple levels of organs, cells, and factors, thereby affecting the progression and outcome of the disease
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Slide 4 As a neurologist, if you watch these two movies, you will deepen your understanding of the incredible dangers of Alzheimer's disease (AD)
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Take the first film as an example.
ALICE, a 50-year-old professor of linguistics at Columbia University, could not find a suitable vocabulary for the first time in the UCLA report
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After returning to New York, the disease progressed rapidly and he was unable to maintain his job.
In the end, even the suicide plan could not be implemented
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The report elaborated on the dual-time theory of AD neuroinflammation, whether inflammation drives disease progression, and the role of the normal brain aging immune system
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Slide 5 Slide 6 Prof.
Fudong Shi performed 7T MRI head scan slide as a project health control Representative of classic neuroimmune diseases, and the origin of neuroimmune response with acute brain injury such as TBI, stroke, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) (Slide 4-5) , Expansion and role
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Introduced the use of high-resolution 7T MRI (slide 6), PET molecular imaging, classic and high-throughput laboratory methods to capture neuroimmune response to assist in diagnosis and interpretation of patient prognosis, and proposed understanding of the specificity of central nervous system immune response The significance of basic diagnosis and treatment
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The report stated that multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica (NMOSD) and other disease modification treatments may be the fastest-advanced field of contemporary medicine, which greatly controls the progression of the disease and protects the social and family functions of patients
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The report finally analyzed the unsolved major scientific issues in the neuroimmunology field, such as the driving factors of disease progression, unmet clinical needs, such as advanced MS treatment, myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-related disease (MOGAD) The lack of treatment options, nerve repair therapy, antigen-specific immune intervention, etc.
(slide 7)
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Finally, we call on basic immunology and neuroimmunology doctors to cooperate sincerely, encourage young immunologists to join, to solve the above problems, make a contemporary contribution to the development of China's neuroimmunology cause, and leave the imprint of this era in the history of immunology
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