Gu Sun Mi, Kim Tae Hun, Park Jeong Ho, Lim Key-Hwan, Jun Po Myoung, Lee Yong Sun, Kweon Gi Ryang, Hong Jin Tae
College of Pharmacy and Medical Research Center, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28160, Republic of Korea.
Whata Bio Co. Ltd., Seoul 05836, Republic of Korea.
Biomol Ther (Seoul). 2025 Sep 1;33(5):747-757. doi: 10.4062/biomolther.2025.050. Epub 2025 Aug 7.
Chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1) is a secreted glycoprotein involved in macrophage polarization, apoptosis, and inflammation, and carcinogenesis. The expression of CHI3L1 is significantly increased in various inflammatory and immunological diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, and atopic dermatitis. Several studies suggest that CHI3L1 may be a viable therapeutic target for these diseases, given its ability to release various pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-13, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interferon-γ (IFN-γ). Therefore, CHI3L1 likely plays a role in the development of a broad spectrum of inflammatory diseases. However, the precise pathophysiological and pharmacological mechanisms by which CHI3L1 contributes to these diseases remain to be fully elucidated. This review synthesizes recent findings on the functional roles of CHI3L1 across diverse inflammatory conditions, highlighting its involvement in critical signaling pathways. Moreover, preclinical research underscores the therapeutic potential of CHI3L1 inhibition. Thus, targeted CHI3L1 interventions represent a compelling therapeutic strategy warranting further clinical exploration and validation.
几丁质酶-3样蛋白1（CHI3L1）是一种分泌型糖蛋白，参与巨噬细胞极化、细胞凋亡、炎症和致癌作用。CHI3L1在多种炎症和免疫疾病中表达显著增加，如类风湿性关节炎、阿尔茨海默病和特应性皮炎。多项研究表明，鉴于CHI3L1能够释放多种促炎细胞因子，包括白细胞介素（IL）-1β、IL-4、IL-6、IL-13、肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）和干扰素-γ（IFN-γ），它可能是这些疾病的一个可行治疗靶点。因此，CHI3L1可能在多种炎症性疾病的发展中起作用。然而，CHI3L1导致这些疾病的确切病理生理和药理机制仍有待充分阐明。本综述综合了关于CHI3L1在不同炎症条件下功能作用的最新研究结果，突出了其在关键信号通路中的参与。此外，临床前研究强调了抑制CHI3L1的治疗潜力。因此，靶向CHI3L1的干预措施是一种引人注目的治疗策略，值得进一步的临床探索和验证。
