Toxins Targeting the KV1.3 Channel: Potential Immunomodulators for Autoimmune Diseases

Toxins

Yipeng Zhao¹  Jie Huang¹  Xiaolu Yuan¹  Biwen Peng³  Wanhong Liu²  Song Han¹  Xiaohua He¹ 

[1]Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China

[2] E-Mails:

[3]Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China

[4] E-Mail:

[5]Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China

[6] E-Mail:

关键词: toxins;    K_V1.3 channel;    effector memory T-cell;    autoimmune diseases;   

DOI  :  10.3390/toxins7051749

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Autoimmune diseases are usually accompanied by tissue injury caused by autoantigen-specific T-cells. K_V1.3 channels participate in modulating calcium signaling to induce T-cell proliferation, immune activation and cytokine production. Effector memory T (T_EM)-cells, which play major roles in many autoimmune diseases, are controlled by blocking K_V1.3 channels on the membrane. Toxins derived from animal venoms have been found to selectively target a variety of ion channels, including K_V1.3. By blocking the K_V1.3 channel, these toxins are able to suppress the activation and proliferation of T_EM cells and may improve T_EM cell-mediated autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and type I diabetes mellitus.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.