New therapeutics that modulate chemokine networks.
Chemokines are small cytokines that control a wide variety of biological and pathological processes, from immunosurveillance to inflammation, and from viral infection to cancer. The numerous known chemokine receptors have given hope that selective receptor antagonism might be possible, which could allow us to control which cells are recruited and activated at any time and in any place. As chemokine receptors are G-protein-coupled receptors, which are classical targets for the pharmaceutical industry, it is hoped that chemokines could be the first cytokines for which small-molecule receptor antagonists could be developed. Recently, reports of chemokine-receptor antagonists, both in vitro and in animal models of disease, have been published. It is anticipated that this field could produce clinically useful therapies in the next few years.
Serono Pharmaceutical Research Institute, 14 Chemin des Aulx, 1228 Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva, Switzerland.
Matthias K
MK
Schwarz
Timothy N C
TN
Wells
D000818:Animals; D065100:CCR5 Receptor Antagonists; D018925:Chemokines / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D054389:Receptors, CCR1; D054390:Receptors, CCR2; D054397:Receptors, CCR3; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D023063:Receptors, Interleukin-8B / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
C515300:CCR1 protein, human; C515334:CCR2 protein, human; C515350:CCR3 protein, human; D065100:CCR5 Receptor Antagonists; D018925:Chemokines; D054389:Receptors, CCR1; D054390:Receptors, CCR2; D054397:Receptors, CCR3; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine; D023063:Receptors, Interleukin-8B