趋化因子及其受体在炎症中作用的研究进展

趋化因子是能够激发白细胞趋化性的小分子分泌性蛋白质,是可受化学诱导物及细胞因子调节、并能刺激细胞趋化运动的一类细胞因子.趋化因子将循环中的淋巴细胞募集到组织损伤或炎症反应部位.早期对趋化因子的研究是基于其在炎症中的功能.最近发现趋化因子及其受体和机体内单核细胞的迁移,适应性免疫应答以及多种疾病的发病机理相关.趋化因子受体作为炎症和免疫应答的调控分子而成为多种药物的靶向分子.临床上已经开始利用趋化因子的拈抗剂治疗炎症疾病,本篇旨在阐述趋化因子及其受体在炎症疾病中的作用以及这些趋化因子在临床上的应用.

The roles of chemokines and chemokine receptors in inflammation

Chemokines are small heparin-binding proteins that direct the movement of circulating leukocytes to sites of inflammation or injury. Original studied because of their role in inflammation. Chemokines and their receptors are now known to play a crucial part in directing the movement of mononuclear cells through- out the body, engendering the adaptive immune response and contributing to the pathogenesis of a variety of diseases. Chemokine receptors are some of the most tractable drug targets in the huge battery of molecules that reg- ulate inflammation and immunity. For this reason, clinical trials involving chemokine-receptor antagonists for the treatment of inflammatory conditions have recently began. In this review, we survey the properties of chemo- kines and their receptors and highlight the roles of these chemoattractants in selected clinical disorders.