title: Inhibitors of CXC chemokine receptor type 4: putative therapeutic approaches in inflammatory diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The CXC chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4), which is a G-protein coupled receptor, and its ligand CXCL12 play an important role in neutrophil homeostasis and inflammation. This review focuses on involvement of the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis in inflammation and different inflammatory diseases and depicts that blocking CXCR4 is an attractive therapeutic strategy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Binding of CXCL12 to CXCR4 retains immature neutrophils in the bone marrow and also participates in leukocyte recruitment into inflamed tissue. The CXCL12/CXCR4 axis is also involved in several inflammatory processes and diseases including the WHIM (warts, hypogammaglobulinemia, infections and myelokathexis) syndrome, HIV, autoimmune disorders, ischemic injury, and pulmonary fibrosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on these findings, blocking CXCR4 seems to be a therapeutic strategy in inflammatory diseases. Several promising CXCR4 antagonists are in different stages of development and clinical trials. Currently, only plerixafor (AMD3100) has been approved for short-term application.
authors.affiliation: aDepartment of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University of Muenster bMax-Plank Institute Muenster, Muenster, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hummel
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Van Aken
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zarbock
mesh_terms: D054377:Chemokine CXCL12 / Q000502:physiology*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000502:physiology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000502:physiology; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D054852:Small Molecule Libraries / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D054377:Chemokine CXCL12; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4; D054852:Small Molecule Libraries