Sympathetic control of specific and non-specific immune response

Abstract Following antigenic stimulation with specific (alloantigen) and non-specific (sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)) antigens the expression of β-adrenergic receptors and the interference of immune sera IgG, on uterine smooth muscle β-adrenoceptor-specific ligands were studied. The binding of alloimmune IgG to β-adrenoceptors appeared to be specific, because immunization with SRBC and LPS did not induce anti-β-adrenoceptors antibodies. On the contrary, the decrease in β-adrenergic receptor expression was observed even with alloantigens and with the conventional antigenic challenge, suggesting that this phenomenon could be a non-specific immunoregulatory mechanism.