# Mechanisms of signaling between the nervous and immune systems.

> **NIH NIH F32** · TRUSTEES OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $69,802

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Pain sensation (nociception) and immunity work together to protect animals from injury and infection. The
nervous system and immune system are typically studied separately in their own subfields, however
understanding the link between them is critical for the treatment of chronic pain and inflammatory diseases. This
proposal bridges these fields to understand how neurons communicate with immune cells in the Drosophila
model system.
 In Drosophila larvae, nociception is characterized by a stereotyped rolling behavior, triggered by several
types of noxious stimuli, such as heat, chemicals, and mechanical force. The neurons that sense noxious input
(nociceptors) tile each segment of the larval body wall. A population of hemocytes reside near peripheral neuron
dendrites. After a noxious challenge, these hemocytes divide and differentiate into mature immune cells which
then circulate in the hemolymph to find and encapsulate wounds and foreign invaders. Nociceptor activity is
necessary for the initiation of a robust immune response, suggesting that noxious information is transmitted to
hemocytes when a threat is perceived.
 The main hypothesis tested in this proposal is that nociceptors communicate with hemocytes
through signaling at nociceptor dendrites. Neurogenic immune activation in mammals occurs through a
mechanism of backwards propagating action potentials that trigger the release of proinflammatory factors from
peripheral terminals. Using the precise genetic tools available in Drosophila, I aim to investigate the mechanisms
of signaling between larval nociceptors and immune cells. I will investigate whether both central and peripheral
nociceptive pathways contribute to neurogenic immune responses (Aim 1), and whether neuro-immune signaling
involves backwards propagating action potentials and dendritic vesicle release, similar to mechanisms of
neurogenic inflammation in mammals (Aim 2). A long-term goal is to use this system to identify additional
molecular participants in neuro-immune communication through a nociceptor-specific screen (Future Aim 3).
 Results from this project will further our understanding of the proinflammatory role of nociceptors, and the
mechanisms by which nociceptors induce immune responses. This will have important implications for our
understanding and treatment of chronic pain and inflammatory conditions, while also elucidating general
neurobiological principles that are not well understood, such as dendritic vesicle release and non-canonical
action potential propagation.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10363660
- **Project number:** 5F32AI157551-02
- **Recipient organization:** TRUSTEES OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Lydia Johanna Borjon
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $69,802
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-04-01 → 2024-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10363660

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10363660, Mechanisms of signaling between the nervous and immune systems. (5F32AI157551-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10363660. Licensed CC0.

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