Senso-immunology: crosstalk between nociceptive and immune systems

Understanding the molecular mechanisms of nociception has recently grown impressively. Nociception is mediated by mechanical, chemical, or microbial stimuli that evoke unpleasant feelings, alerting the host of the risk of tissue damage. Such diverse arrays of noxious stimuli trigger various escape reactions, usually altering immune homeostasis. Notably, nociceptors can recognize cytokines or pathogens via sensory molecules or innate immune receptors, participating in immune responses. Accumulating evidence suggests that activated nociceptors produce various humoral factors that affect the immune system and act like endocrine/paracrine signals. Thus, understanding the interplay between the nociceptive and immune systems may open new avenues for the development of an interdisciplinary research field, hereinafter referred to as 'senso-immunology'. This review will discuss the physiological relevance of the senso-immune system in the host defense context, focusing on how senso-immune research might yield novel treatments to cure pain and inflammation.