Neuro-Immune Interactions
Neuro-Immune Interactions
What role does the brain play in immunology and diseases like cancer and autoimmune disorders?
We initiated research exploring brain-body interactions, focusing on how the brain communicates with the immune system. We identified a circuit by which cancer-induced inflammation leads to fatigue and depressive symptoms, providing insights into chronic inflammation’s impact on behavior (Starosta et al., under review). Our studies mapped connections from sympathetic nerves to breast tumors, demonstrating how sympathetic activation increases tumor growth (Monje et al., 2020, Cell). We are also investigating rheumatoid arthritis and endometriosis to understand neuro-immune mechanisms affecting behavior and disease.
Selected Publications
A neuro-immune circuit mediates cancer cachexia-associated apathy
S. Starosta*, A. Zhu*, M. Ferrer Gonzales, J. Hou, Q. Chevy, F. Lucantonio, F. Zhang, R. Munoz-Castaneda, M. Bergstrom, M. Wulf, S. Evans, A. Siebels, A. Kravitz, P. Osten, T. Janowitz, M. Pignatelli* , A. Kepecs*. (2023)
Roadmap for the Emerging Field of Cancer Neuroscience
Monje M, Borniger JC, D'Silva NJ, Deneen B, Dirks PB, Fattahi F, Frenette PS, Garzia L, Gutmann DH, Hanahan D, Hervey-Jumper SL, Hondermarck H, Hurov JB, Kepecs A, Knox SM, Lloyd AC, Magnon C, Saloman JL, Segal RA, Sloan EK, Sun X, Taylor MD, Tracey KJ, Trotman LC, Tuveson DA, Wang TC, White RA, Winkler F.. Cell (2020) Apr 16;181(2):219-222