Cutaneous neuroimmune crosstalk in pruritus

Konstantin Agelopoulos; Manuel Pedro Pereira; Henning Wiegmann; Sonja Ständer

doi:10.1016/j.molmed.2022.03.005

Cutaneous neuroimmune crosstalk in pruritus

Trends Mol Med. 2022 Jun;28(6):452-462. doi: 10.1016/j.molmed.2022.03.005. Epub 2022 Apr 11.

Authors

Konstantin Agelopoulos¹, Manuel Pedro Pereira¹, Henning Wiegmann¹, Sonja Ständer²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Dermatology and Center for Chronic Pruritus, University Hospital Münster, Von-Esmarch-Str. 58, 48149 Münster, Germany.
² Department of Dermatology and Center for Chronic Pruritus, University Hospital Münster, Von-Esmarch-Str. 58, 48149 Münster, Germany. Electronic address: sonja.staender@ukmuenster.de.

PMID: 35422379
DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2022.03.005

Abstract

The underlying mechanisms of chronic pruritus (CP), which is often very debilitating for patients, are still not well understood. Over the past few years, peripheral and central mechanisms involving different classes of pruriceptive and nociceptive neuron (e.g., C- and Aδ-fibers), immune cells (e.g., eosinophils, basophils, Th1, Th2, and mast cells) and epithelial cells (e.g., keratinocytes) have been investigated. Based on these, numerous promising target-specific therapies are under development. In this review, we highlight the cells, key mediators, and receptors involved in itch perception and CP, and conclude by summarizing the therapies developed for these conditions.

Keywords: chronic prurigo; chronic pruritus; itch; neuroimmune crosstalk; pruriception; scratch.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Basophils
Humans
Keratinocytes
Pruritus* / etiology
Skin*