Preface

In the reviews “The brain immune system: chemistry and biology of the signal molecules” as well as “Concepts of neuroendocrine cardiology and neuroendocrine immunology”, (l, 2) I have summarized the results of 45 years of laboratory findings on the discovery of a new hormonal system produced by human and animal neurosecretory cells of the hypothalamus. Discovery of neuroendocrine immune system of the brain (concept that the brain is an immune organ) (2) opens a new page in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of the immune system regulation as a whole and immune defense of the brain itself. The proline-rich polypeptides are a new type of brain cytokines (3,4). One of them, galarmin (PRP-1), not only participates in the immune defense of the brain and the organism, but also in genesis, differentiation, proliferation, and mobilization of bone marrow progenitors. Signal molecules of the neuroendocrine immune system of the brain, galarmin, Gx-NH2, and others contain 10–15 amino acids residues and possess wide antibacterial, antitumor, hematopoietic, and anti-neurodegenerative properties. Professor Abel Lajtha wrote “The importance of Galoyan’s concept is that hypothalamic peptides and cytokines, secreted by NSO and NPV, act not only as a component of the endocrine system, but also as modulators of the immune system and what is of great practical importance is the system can be neuroprotective and strong antibacterial”(5). We have isolated a family of neuropeptides with cardiac activity and their precursor protein, as specific regulators of cardiac blood vessels and cardiovascular system from the human and animal hypothalamus (3). Moreover, in 1967, I found that the heart is an endocrine organ, the nerve cells of which (the atria) produce and secrete hormones of protein nature into the blood. They were also the regulators of cardiac blood flow and catecholamine biosynthesis in the atria and ventricles of the heart activity of the neurons. The atrial ganglionary cells exhibit a fine reactivity towards the hypothalamus cardioactive hormones through an increase in neurosecretion and the transition of products to the atrial axons (3). The concept was established “The functional system of neurosecretory hypothalamus, the endocrine heart”. There is a functional interaction between the neuroendocrine immune system of the hypothalamus and endocrine heart. Hypothalamic cardioactive neurohormone C stimulates biosynthesis of the gomori positive structures and produces positive