Induction of dissociated cytokine profiles by ISRAA with selective critical involvement of ERK1/2 in its signaling functions.

The immune system-released activating agent (ISRAA) is an immune mediator activated as a result of a nerve stimulus initiated by immune challenge. We have previously demonstrated that ISRAA and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor 1 (TNFR1) share an interspecies-conserved motif (72% homology) that induces the apoptosis and proliferation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (hPBMCs) in a dose-dependent manner. In the present study, cytokine profiles were examined in response to the stimulation of hPBMCs with ISRAA.