Neuropeptides are small neuronal signaling molecules that act as neuromodulators for a variety of neural functions including analgesia, reproduction, social behavior, learning, and memory. One of the endogenous neuropeptides-Met-Enkephalin (Met-Enk), has been shown to display an inhibitory effect on cell proliferation and differentiation. Here, a novel lipid-modification approach is shown to cr...

Neuropeptides are essential for the regulation of appetite. Here we show that neuropeptides could regulate feeding in mutants that lack neurotransmission from the motor neurons that stimulate feeding muscles. We identified nlp-24 by an RNAi screen of 115 neuropeptide genes, testing whether they affected growth. NLP-24 peptides have a conserved YGGXX sequence, similar to mammalian opioid neurope...

Some syndromes are of interest to both neurologists and dermatologists, because cutaneous involvement may harbinger symptoms of a neurological disease. The aim of this review is to clarify this aspect. The skin, because of its relationships with the peripheral sensory nervous system, autonomic nervous system and central nervous system, constitutes a neuroimmunoendocrine organ. The skin contains...

Many studies have shown that modulation of cytokine function is effective in ameliorating symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Neuropeptides have recently been shown to have powerful effects on the production and release of cytokines and have also been shown to exert potent proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory effects in animal models of inflammatory diseases. An analysis of cytokine and neuropep...

Many neuropeptides and their G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are present within the brain area involved in ventilatory and cardiovascular regulation but only a few mammalian studies have focused on the integrative physiological actions of neuropeptides on these vital cardio-respiratory regulations. Because both the central neuroanatomical substrates that govern motor ventilatory and cardiov...

Imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) of neuropeptides in crustacean neuronal tissues was performed on a MALDI-TOF/TOF instrument. Sample preparation protocols were developed for the sensitive detection of these highly complex endogenous signaling molecules. The neuromodulatory complements of the pericardial organ (PO) and brain of the Jonah crab, Cancer borealis, were mapped. Distributions of peptid...

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with complex mechanism that involves the activity of different type cells. Along IL-23/Th17 axis, nervous system plays an important role in development psoriasis. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) ion channel Ca2+-permeable nonselective cation channels express keratinocytes, nerve fibers, and immune cells skin. Recently, we found i...

Plant parasitic nematodes (PPNs) seriously threaten global food security. Conventionally an integrated approach to PPN management has relied heavily on carbamate, organophosphate and fumigant nematicides which are now being withdrawn over environmental health and safety concerns. This progressive withdrawal has left a significant shortcoming in our ability to manage these economically important...

The nature of persistent airway hyperreactivity and chronic inflammation in asthma remains unclear. It has been suggested that bi-directional neuro-immune interaction plays an important role in the pathogenesis of this disease, leading to enhanced airway narrowing after contact with unspecific stimuli, as well as infiltration, activation and degranulation of several immune cell subtypes. Import...