Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2014 Oct 10.
Published in final edited form as: Neuroscience. 2013 Jul 24;250:697–714. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.07.035

Table 1.

Pruritogens and mechanisms

category pruritogen Scratching itch humans mechanisms
CD-1 mice C57BL/6 mice SD rats
amines histamine + + + H1/H4 receptor, PLC-β3, TRPV1
5-HT + + + + 5-HT2 receptor

proteases (tethered ligands) SLIGRL + + + PAR-2, MrgprC11
AYPGKF + + N.T. PAR-4
tryptase + N.T. N.T. N.T. PAR-2
mucunain + N.T. N.T. + PAR-2, PAR-4
cathepsin S N.T. N.T. N.T. + PAR-2, PAR-4, MgprC11

neuropeptides substance P + N.T. + mast cell degranulation, NK1 receptor, LTB4, NO
endothelin-1 + + + + ETA receptor

lipid mediators PAF N.T. N.T. + + PAF receptor
LPA + N.T. N.T. N.T. histamine, Rho-ROCK
LTB4 + N.T. N.T. N.T. BLT1 receptor
TXA2 + N.T. N.T. N.T. TP receptor
SPC + N.T. N.T. N.T. Rho-ROCK, LTB4
12-HETE + N.T. N.T. N.T. BLT2 receptor

cytokines IL-2 N.T. N.T. N.T. + mast cell degranulation?
IL-31 N.T. + N.T. N.T. IL31RA/OSMR

Mrgpr agonists chloroquine + + +* MrgprA3, TRPA1, mast cell degranulation
BAM8-22 N.T. + N.T. + MrgprC11, TRPA1
β-alanine N.T. + N.T. + MrgprD

uncategorized compound 48/80 + + + mast cell degranulation
Bile acids N.T. + N.T. + TGR5
oxidative stress N.T. + N.T. N.T. TRPA1
TLR7 agonists N.T. + N.T. N.T. TLR7, K2P, Kv1.1, Kv1.2

+, induction of itch or scratching; −, no induction of itch or scratching; N.T., not tested;

*

oral administration

Abbreviations: 5-HT, 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin); PAF, platelet activating factor; LPA, lysophosphatidic acid, LTB4, leukotriene B4; TXA2, thromboxane A2; SPC, sphingosylphosphorylcholine; 12-HETE, 12-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid; BAM8-22, bovine adrenal medullary peptide 8-22; TLR7, toll-like receptor 7; H, histamine; PAR, protease-activated receptor; NO, nitric oxide; ETA, endothelin-1 A, Rho-ROCK, Rho-associated protein kinase; BLT, LTB4 receptor; IL31, interleukin 31; OSMR, oncostatin M receptor; Mrgpr, Mas-related G-protein-coupled receptor; TP, thromboxane receptor; TGR5, G protein-coupled bile acid receptor 1 (GPBAR1); TRPA1, transient receptor potential ankyrin 1; K2P, two-pore-domain potassium channels; Kv, voltage-gated potassium channel.