Effects of ONO-1078 (pranlukast) on cytokine production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with bronchial asthma

The primary role of the immune system is to protect the host against pathogens. Until recently it has been thought that the immune system functioned in isolation, however, it has become increasingly evident that the immune system and, in particular, the nervous system are functionally interconnected. In this review we describe various interactions between the nervous and immune systems in the lung. Particular attention will be given to the interactions of neuropeptide mediators from the nonadrenergic, non-cholinergic (NANC) sensory nervous system with mast cells, macrophages and cosinophils, and the special role that nerve growth faclor (NGF) plays in these interactions.