Cambios

A dopamina actúa sobre os receptores presentes nas células inmunes, con todos os subtipos de receptores de dopamina presentes nos [[leucocito]]s. Hai unha expresión baixa destes receptores no [[linfocito T]] e no [[monocito]], unha expresión moderada no [[neutrófilo]] e [[eosinófilo]], e unha alta expresión no [[linfocito B]] e na [[célula NK]]. <ref>{{cite journal | doi = 10.1016/S0165-5728(02)00280-1 | last1 = McKenna | first1 = F | last2 = McLaughlin | first2 = PJ | last3 = Lewis | first3 = BJ | last4 = Sibbring | first4 = GC | last5 = Cummerson | first5 = JA | last6 = Bowen-Jones | first6 = D | last7 = Moots | first7 = RJ. | year = 2002 | title = Dopamine receptor expression on human T- and B-lymphocytes, monocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils and NK cells: a flow cytometric study | url = | journal = J Neuroimmunol | volume = 132 | issue = 1–2| pages = 34–40 | pmid = 12417431 }}</ref> A inervación [[sistema nervioso simpático|simpática]] do [[tecido linfoide]] é dopaminérxica, e increméntase durante o [[estrés]]. <ref>{{cite journal | doi = 10.1046/j.1474-8673.2003.00280.x | last1 = Mignini | first1 = F | last2 = Streccioni | first2 = V | last3 = Amenta | first3 = F | title = Autonomic innervation of immune organs and neuroimmune modulation | journal = Autonomic & autacoid pharmacology | volume = 23 | issue = 1 | pages = 1–25 | year = 2003 | pmid = 14565534 }}</ref> A dopamina pode tamén afectar ás células inmunitarias do [[bazo]], [[medula ósea]], e [[sangue]]. <ref>{{cite journal | doi = 10.1016/S0165-5728(99)00176-9 | last1 = Basu | first1 = S | last2 = Dasgupta | first2 = PS. | year = 2000 | title = Dopamine, a neurotransmitter, influences the immune system | url = | journal = J Neuroimmunol | volume = 102 | issue = 2| pages = 113–24 | pmid = 10636479 }}</ref> In additionAdemais, dopaminea candopamina bepoden synthesizedsintetizala ande releasedliberala byas thepropias immunecélulas cells themselvesinmunitarias.<ref>{{cite journal | doi = 10.1073/pnas.91.26.12912 | last1 = Bergquist | first1 = J | last2 = Tarkowski | first2 = A | last3 = Ekman | first3 = R | last4 = Ewing | first4 = A. | year = 1994 | title = Discovery of endogenous catecholamines in lymphocytes and evidence for catecholamine regulation of lymphocyte function via an autocrine loop | journal = Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A | volume = 91 | issue = 26| pages = 12912–6 | pmid = 7809145 | pmc = 45550 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last1=Cosentino | first1=M | last2=Fietta | first2=AM | last3=Ferrari | first3=M | last4=Rasini | first4=E | last5=Bombelli | first5=R | last6=Carcano | first6=E | last7=Saporiti | first7=F | last8=Meloni | first8=F | last9=Marino | first9=F | title=Human CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells selectively express tyrosine hydroxylase and contain endogenous catecholamines subserving an autocrine/paracrine inhibitory functional loop | url=http://bloodjournal.hematologylibrary.org/cgi/reprint/109/2/632 | journal=Blood | volume=109 | issue=2 | pages=632–42 | year=2007 |pmid= 16985181 | doi=10.1182/blood-2006-01-028423 }}</ref>

Os efectos da dopamina sobre as células inmunitarias dependedependen do seu estado fisiolóxico. A dopamina activa as [[célula T|células T]] en repouso, pero inhíbeas cando están activadas. Trastornos como a esquizofrenia e enfermidade de Parkinson, nas cales hai cambios nos receptores de dopamina do cerebro e nas vías de sinalización de dopamina, están tamén asociados coa alteración das funcións inmunes. <ref>{{cite journal | last1=Sarkar | first1=C | last2=Basu | first2=B | last3=Chakroborty | first3=D | last4=Dasgupta | first4=PS | last5=Basu | first5=S | title=The immunoregulatory role of dopamine: an update | journal=Brain, behavior, and immunity | volume=24 | issue=4 | pages=525–8 | year=2010 | doi=10.1016/j.bbi.2009.10.015 | pmc=2856781 | pmid= 19896530 }}</ref>