I know that there is a demonstration of increased intracellular calcium in astrocytes induced by TNF-a, but I couldn't find evidence showing that this could occur in neurons.
Perhaps the work of MARILYN L. GETCHELL, THOMAS V. GETCHELL from the University of Kentucky. Leukemia Inhibitory factor induces neurogenesis in the olfactory system check out "Macrophage Depletion in the Murine
Olfactory Epithelium Leads to Increased Neuronal Death and Decreased Neurogenesis"
There is accumulating evidence that cytokines affect neurotransmission and plasticity, but as a true neurotransmitter, that I dont have the expertise to qualify.
Article The JAK/STAT pathway is involved in synaptic plasticity
Strong evidence for this in learning and memory see Raz Yirmiya's work. on IL-1beta
Thank you all.
The works from Yirmiya´s group are really great!
It´s quite complicated because we can see in many works authors saying that cytokines could be acting as neurotransmitters, but I really don´t know if this was already demonstrated or if was just a guess considering the neurommodulatory actions.
I don´t know, for example, how, if they are, the mediators are stored, since in some conditions they are quickly released. If they are just produced on demand... I don´t think so, because there are evidences that they are expressed in basal conditions. But where they stay? Classical neurotransmitters in the vesicles, some few are quickly produced after neuron stimulation... and cytokines? Any guesses, or facts?
It's rather hard to say that it is true neurotransmitter because it has to prove to meet neurotramsmitter criteria but for neuromodulation function, it should be and same as estrogen, nitric oxide etc.
The boundaries of what constitutes a 'true' neurotransmitter are no longer cut and dry and so shouldn't be thinking in those terms.
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