Chemokine Signaling in Allergic Contact Dermatitis: Toward Targeted Therapies

Dermatitis. 2018 Jul/Aug;29(4):179-186. doi: 10.1097/DER.0000000000000391.

Abstract

Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is a common skin disease that results in significant cost and morbidity. Despite its high prevalence, therapeutic options are limited. Allergic contact dermatitis is regulated primarily by T cells within the adaptive immune system, but also by natural killer and innate lymphoid cells within the innate immune system. The chemokine receptor system, consisting of chemokine peptides and chemokine G protein-coupled receptors, is a critical regulator of inflammatory processes such as ACD. Specific chemokine signaling pathways are selectively up-regulated in ACD, most prominently CXCR3 and its endogenous chemokines CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11. Recent research demonstrates that these 3 chemokines are not redundant and indeed activate distinct intracellular signaling profiles such as those activated by heterotrimeric G proteins and β-arrestin adapter proteins. Such differential signaling provides an attractive therapeutic target for novel therapies for ACD and other inflammatory diseases.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adaptive Immunity / immunology
  • Chemokines / immunology*
  • Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / drug therapy
  • Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / immunology*
  • Haptens / immunology
  • Humans
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy
  • Receptors, CCR / immunology
  • Receptors, CCR4 / immunology
  • Receptors, CXCR3 / immunology
  • Receptors, Chemokine / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology

Substances

  • CCR4 protein, human
  • CXCR3 protein, human
  • Chemokines
  • Haptens
  • Receptors, CCR
  • Receptors, CCR4
  • Receptors, CXCR3
  • Receptors, Chemokine