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. 2020 Jul 21;11:1318. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01318

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Copyright © 2020 Vandewalle and Libert.

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

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Schematic representation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. Upon circadian rhythm, stress, and inflammatory cytokines, the hypothalamus secretes corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), stimulating the pituitary to release adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which in turn induces cortisol (human) or corticosterone (rodents) by the adrenal cortex. These glucocorticoids in turn negatively regulate the activity of the HPA axis via the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus and the anterior pituitary, or indirectly by decreasing the expression of inflammatory cytokines. Figure created with BioRender.com.