Corticotropin-releasing factor-induced immunosuppression in human and invertebrate immunocytes

1. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) appears to be a potentially important signal molecule in both vertebrate and invertebrate neuroimmune and autoimmunoregulatory processes. It appears to mimic the effects of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH) but has a longer duration of action. 2. α-Helical CRF, a specific inhibitor of CRF, antagonizes CRF-induced cellular immunosupression but is ineffective in altering MSH-induced immunosuppression. 3. Both human and Mytilus immunocytes appear to have specific CRF receptors. 4. In another experiment, both CRF and MSH antagonize tumor necrosis factor stimulation of immunocytes. Again, α-helical CRF antagonizes only CRF activity, further suggesting the presence of a separate CRF receptor on these cells.