The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Center for Sensory Biology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Cell. 2009 Dec 24;139(7):1353-65. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2009.11.034. Epub 2009 Dec 10.
The cellular and molecular mechanisms mediating histamine-independent itch in primary sensory neurons are largely unknown. Itch induced by chloroquine (CQ) is a common side effect of this widely used antimalarial drug. Here, we show that Mrgprs, a family of G protein-coupled receptors expressed exclusively in peripheral sensory neurons, function as itch receptors. Mice lacking a cluster of Mrgpr genes display significant deficits in itch induced by CQ but not histamine. CQ directly excites sensory neurons in an Mrgpr-dependent manner. CQ specifically activates mouse MrgprA3 and human MrgprX1. Loss- and gain-of-function studies demonstrate that MrgprA3 is required for CQ responsiveness in mice. Furthermore, MrgprA3-expressing neurons respond to histamine and coexpress gastrin-releasing peptide, a peptide involved in itch sensation, and MrgprC11. Activation of these neurons with the MrgprC11-specific agonist BAM8-22 induces itch in wild-type but not mutant mice. Therefore, Mrgprs may provide molecular access to itch-selective neurons and constitute novel targets for itch therapeutics.
介导初级感觉神经元中组胺非依赖性瘙痒的细胞和分子机制在很大程度上尚不清楚。氯喹(CQ)引起的瘙痒是这种广泛使用的抗疟药物的常见副作用。在这里,我们表明,Mrgprs 是一组仅在外周感觉神经元中表达的 G 蛋白偶联受体,作为瘙痒受体发挥作用。缺乏 Mrgpr 基因簇的小鼠在 CQ 而非组胺诱导的瘙痒中表现出明显缺陷。CQ 以 Mrgpr 依赖性方式直接兴奋感觉神经元。CQ 特异性激活小鼠 MrgprA3 和人 MrgprX1。缺失和获得功能研究表明,MrgprA3 是小鼠对 CQ 反应所必需的。此外,表达 MrgprA3 的神经元对组胺有反应,并共同表达胃泌素释放肽,一种参与瘙痒感觉的肽,以及 MrgprC11。用 MrgprC11 特异性激动剂 BAM8-22 激活这些神经元会引起野生型但不会引起突变型小鼠的瘙痒。因此,Mrgprs 可能为瘙痒选择性神经元提供分子途径,并构成瘙痒治疗的新靶点。