The Role of Endocrine System in the Inflammatory Process

Inflammation is a general tissue response to a wide variety of stimuli. In situations in which inflammation is not properly regulated, inflammatory response may be exaggerated or ineffective, leading to immune dysfunction, recurrent infections, and tissue damage, both locally and systemically. Various hormones, cytokines, vitamins, metabolites, and neurotransmitters are known to be key mediators of the immune and inflammatory responses in endocrine as well as in paracrine fashions. Therefore, exploring the mechanisms underlying the production and response to these mediators might broaden the horizons for the development of novel therapeutic options that target disease states in which the immune/inflammatory responses are compromised or dysregulated.