Arthritic diseases: melanocortin type 3 receptor agonists as potential therapeutics
Getting, S.J.; Perretti, M.
Current Opinion in Investigational Drugs 2(8): 1064-1069
2001
ISSN/ISBN: 1472-4472 PMID: 11892914 Document Number: 528557
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.