Dataset of (±)-NBI-74330 (CXCR3 antagonist) influence on chemokines under neuropathic pain

CC Chemokine Receptor 4 (CCR4) as a Possible New Target for Therapy

Chemokines and their receptors participate in many biological processes, including the modulation of neuroimmune interactions. Approximately fifty chemokines are distinguished in humans, which are classified into four subfamilies based on the N-terminal conserved cysteine motifs: CXC, CC, C, and CX3C. Chemokines activate specific receptors localized on the surface of various immune and nervous cells. Approximately twenty chemokine receptors have been identified, and each of these receptors is a seven-transmembrane G-protein coupled receptor. Recent studies provide new evidence that CC chemokine receptor 4 (CCR4) is important in the pathogenesis of many diseases, such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, asthma, dermatitis, and cancer. This review briefly characterizes CCR4 and its ligands (CCL17, CCL22, and CCL2), and their contributions to immunological and neoplastic diseases. The review notes a significant role of CCR4 in nociceptive transmission, especially in painful neuropathy, which accompanies many diseases. The pharmacological blockade of CCR4 seems beneficial because of its pain-relieving effects and its influence on opioid efficacy. The possibilities of using the CCL2/CCL17/CCL22/CCR4 axis as a target in new therapies for many diseases are also discussed.

Evaluating the Role of CXCR3 in Pain Modulation: A Literature Review

CXCR3 is a well-known receptor involved in immune cell recruitment and inflammation. Pathological inflammation leads to pain stimulation and hence nociception. Therefore, we decided to review the recent research on CXCR3 to identify its precise role in the modulation of pain in a variety of clinical conditions targeting various regions of the body. Studies were selected from PubMed Medline, which relate CXCR3 to the progression of diseases with either bone cancer pain, neuropathic pain, cystitis pain, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis pain, dental pain, in particular, periodontitis and pulpitis. In all the diseases studied, a high prevalence of CXCR3 and/or its ligand were identified where CXCR3 is a key player in the pathophysiological process of many inflammatory conditions. CXCR3 and its ligands, particularly CXCL10, modulate nociception via actions in the dorsal root ganglia and dorsal horn of the spinal cord, in cases of bone cancer pain, neuropathic, and joint pain. However, with the other studied disease, no direct link to pain has been made, although it contributes to the pathological progression of the diseases and hence would be a causal factor for the pain. Furthermore, CXCR3 appears to play a role in desensitizing the opioid receptor in the descending modulatory pathway within the brain stem as well as modulating opioid-induced hyperalgesia in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. Further research is required for understanding the exact mechanisms of CXCR3 in pain modulation centrally and peripherally. A greater understanding of the immunological activities and pharmacological consequence of CXCR3 and its ligands could help in the discovery of newer drugs for modulating pain arising from pathogenic or inflammatory sources. Given the significance of the CXCR3 for nociception, its utilization may prove to be beneficial as a target for analgesia.