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The Role of the Mrgpr Receptor Family in Itch

  • Chapter
Pharmacology of Itch

Part of the book series: Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology ((HEP,volume 226))

Abstract

Itch is a complex sensory modality that can be evoked by an extremely diverse set of stimuli and has multiple components of disease etiology. Thus, determining the basic molecular and cellular players is essential before we can tackle the more complex aspects of itch. The identification of novel itch receptors has been extremely fruitful and has uncovered novel signaling pathways and pruritogens. Mrgprs encode a family of G protein-coupled receptors, many of which are expressed specifically in sensory nerves and function as itch receptors in mediating histamine-independent itch. In this chapter, we will review the discovery of the receptor family, their specific expression, their roles as itch receptors, and the itch-inducing agonists. Furthermore, we will summarize the results indicating that Mrgpr-expressing sensory neurons are itch-sensing neurons. In the end we will discuss the role of Mrgprs and Mrgpr-positive neurons in chronic itch.

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Abbreviations

CNS:

Central nervous system

BAM8-22:

Bovine adrenal medulla 8-22 peptide

CGRP:

Calcitonin gene-related peptide

DRG:

Dorsal root ganglion

γ2-MSH:

γ2-melanocyte-stimulating hormone

GABA:

Gamma-aminobutyric acid

GFP:

Green fluorescence protein

IB4:

Isolectin B4

Mrgpr:

Mas1-related G protein-coupled receptor

NPFF:

Neuropeptide FF

NPAF:

Neuropeptide AF

TRPV1:

Transient vanilloid receptor 1; the capsaicin receptor

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University Pain Center, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA

    Qin Liu

  2. Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, 4940 Parkview Place, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA

    Qin Liu

  3. Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, 4940 Parkview Place, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA

    Qin Liu

  4. The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Center for Sensory Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 N Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA

    Xinzhong Dong

  5. Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA

    Xinzhong Dong

Authors
  1. Qin Liu
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  2. Xinzhong Dong
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Correspondence to Qin Liu or Xinzhong Dong .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology Center for Substance Abuse Research, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

    Alan Cowan

  2. Department of Dermatology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadephia, Pennsylvania, USA

    Gil Yosipovitch

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Liu, Q., Dong, X. (2015). The Role of the Mrgpr Receptor Family in Itch. In: Cowan, A., Yosipovitch, G. (eds) Pharmacology of Itch. Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology, vol 226. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44605-8_5

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