title: Arthritic diseases: melanocortin type 3 receptor agonists as potential therapeutics.
abstract: Gouty arthritis is currently treated with drugs that have an array of side effects. Therefore, identification of novel endogenous targets for drug development may have beneficial properties ACTH4-10, a heptapeptide fragment derived from the hormone adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH) modulates the inflammatory response in a corticosterone-independent manner, via agonism at melanocortin type 3 receptors (MC3-R) expressed on peritoneal macrophages. MC3-R agonists inhibit cytokine formation and subsequent neutrophil migration, while antagonists abrogate these effects. Together, these data highlight MC3-R as a potential therapeutic target and suggest that small molecule agonists directed at MC3-R with more specific actions, may be potentially novel therapeutics for treating this pathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical Pharmacology, St Bartholomew's and The Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, UK. S.J.Getting@mds.qmw.ac.uk
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Getting
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perretti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001168:Arthritis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006073:Gout / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D044104:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 3; D018043:Receptors, Corticotropin / Q000819:agonists* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D044104:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 3; D018043:Receptors, Corticotropin; D009074:Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormones