International Journal of Molecular Sciences Review Mechanisms of Regulation of the Chemokine-Receptor Network Martin J. Stone 1,2,*, Jenni A. Hayward 1,2, Cheng Huang 1,2, Zil E. Huma 1,2 and Julie Sanchez 1,2 1 Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia;
[email protected] (J.A.H.);
[email protected] (C.H.);
[email protected] (Z.E.H.);
[email protected] (J.S.) 2 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia * Correspondence:
[email protected]; Tel.: +61-3-9902-9246 Academic Editor: Elisabetta Tanzi Received: 21 December 2016; Accepted: 26 January 2017; Published: 7 February 2017 Abstract: The interactions of chemokines with their G protein-coupled receptors promote the migration of leukocytes during normal immune function and as a key aspect of the inflammatory response to tissue injury or infection. This review summarizes the major cellular and biochemical mechanisms by which the interactions of chemokines with chemokine receptors are regulated, including: selective and competitive binding interactions; genetic polymorphisms; mRNA splice variation; variation of expression, degradation and localization; down-regulation by atypical (decoy) receptors; interactions with cell-surface glycosaminoglycans; post-translational modifications; oligomerization; alternative signaling responses; and binding to natural or pharmacological inhibitors. Keywords: chemokine; chemokine receptor; regulation; binding; expression; glycosaminoglycan; post-translational modification; oligomerization; signaling; inhibitor 1. Introduction It has long been recognized that a hallmark feature of the inflammatory response is the accumulation of leukocytes (white blood cells) in injured or infected tissues, where they remove pathogens and necrotic tissue by phagocytosis and proteolytic degradation.