A bivalent compound targeting CCR5 and the mu opioid receptor treats inflammatory arthritis pain in mice without inducing pharmacologic tolerance.

Raini DuttaMary M LunzerJennifer L AugerEyup AkgünPhilip S PortogheseBryce A Binstadt

Published in: Arthritis research & therapy (2018)

MCC22 is a novel bivalent ligand that targets CCR5 and MOR. Our findings demonstrate that MCC22 provides highly potent analgesia and improved functional outcomes in a model of inflammatory arthritis, without inducing typical opioid tolerance. These findings suggest that MCC22 or similar compounds could be used to treat the pain associated with inflammatory arthritis and related conditions, while minimizing the risks typically associated with chronic opioid use.

Keyphrases

pain management
chronic pain
rheumatoid arthritis
oxidative stress
dendritic cells
regulatory t cells
postoperative pain
high fat diet induced
immune response
metabolic syndrome
spinal cord
binding protein
spinal cord injury