Hepatogastroenterology Unit, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Naples, Italy.
Mental Health Department, S. Pio Hospital, Via dell'Angelo, 82100 Benevento, Italy.
Cells. 2023 Jul 19;12(14):1889. doi: 10.3390/cells12141889.
The melanocortin system is a complex set of molecular mediators and receptors involved in many physiological and homeostatic processes. These include the regulation of melanogenesis, steroidogenesis, neuromodulation and the modulation of inflammatory processes. In the latter context, the system has assumed importance in conditions of chronic digestive inflammation, such as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), in which numerous experiences have been accumulated in mouse models of colitis. Indeed, information on how such a system can counteract colitis inflammation and intervene in the complex cytokine imbalance in the intestinal microenvironment affected by chronic inflammatory damage has emerged. This review summarises the evidence acquired so far and highlights that molecules interfering with the melanocortin system could represent new drugs for treating IBD.
黑皮质素系统是一个复杂的分子介质和受体系统，参与许多生理和内稳态过程。这些过程包括黑色素生成、类固醇生成、神经调节和炎症过程的调节。在后一种情况下，该系统在慢性消化炎症的情况下变得重要，例如炎症性肠病 (IBD)，在这种情况下，已经在结肠炎的小鼠模型中积累了大量经验。事实上，关于该系统如何对抗结肠炎炎症以及干预受慢性炎症损伤影响的肠道微环境中复杂的细胞因子失衡的信息已经出现。这篇综述总结了迄今为止获得的证据，并强调干扰黑皮质素系统的分子可能成为治疗 IBD 的新药。
