Potential Roles of Nr4a3-Mediated Inflammation in Immunological and Neurological Diseases

Mol Neurobiol. 2024 Jan 23. doi: 10.1007/s12035-024-03945-8. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

As a protein of the orphan nuclear receptor Nr4a family, Nr4a3 has no identified natural ligands. However, its biological activity can be mediated by inducing conformational changes through interactions with specific certain small molecules and receptors. Nr4a3 is activated as an early stress factor under various pathological conditions and plays a regulatory role in various tissues and cells, participating in processes such as cell differentiation, apoptosis, metabolism, and homeostasis. At present, research on the role of Nr4a3 in the pathophysiology of inflammation is considerably limited, especially with respect to its role in the central nervous system (CNS). In this review, we discuss the role of Nr4a3 in multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, retinopathy, Parkinson's disease, and other CNS diseases. This review shows that Nr4a3 has considerable potential as a therapeutic target in the treatment of CNS diseases. We provide a theoretical basis for the targeted therapy of CNS diseases and neuroinflammation, among other conditions.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; Central nervous system; Inflammation; Multiple sclerosis; Nr4a3; Parkinson’s disease.

Publication types

  • Review