The Role of Chemerin in Neutrophil Activation and Diseases of the Lung

Chemerin is an adipokine with complex biochemistry that undergoes proteolytic modification by components of the inflammatory, coagulation, and fibrinolytic systems, generating both active and inactive products. Chemerin has been found to have both pro- and anti-inflammatory properties, can regulate angiogenesis, and is involved in cancer pathogenesis. Although chemerin is a chemoattractant for macrophages, plasmacytoid dendritic cells, and natural killer cells, it does not induce neutrophil chemotaxis. In contrast, neutrophils appear to act on chemerin structure and localization to regulate the inflammatory response. A role for chemerin in several lung diseases, including airway disease, interstitial lung disease, and cancer, has begun to be explored, but its full role is yet to be fully understood. This review will discuss the role of chemerin in neutrophil activation and will examine what is currently known of the effect of chemerin in diseases of the lung.