Krasznai Zoltán
Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology,Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Medical and Health Science Center, University of Debrecen, Hungary.
Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz). 2005 Mar-Apr;53(2):127-35.
Ion channels of a variety of cell types, such as cardiac and smooth muscle cells and neurons, serve as targets for many drugs used in therapy. T cells also express an assortment of ion channels that are in the focus of intensive research, as they may provide efficient ways to specifically manipulate T cell function and, consequently, immune responses. T cell activation relies on the operation of voltage-gated and Ca2+-activated potassium channels and Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ channels. Many peptide toxin and small molecule blockers of these channels are known, but inhibitors of even higher affinity and selectivity would be needed for safe and effective clinical use. The recent discovery that the expression pattern of potassium channels in T cells is subset specific emphasizes the potential that these proteins have in immunomodulation. Compounds that could suppress T cells involved in autoimmunity without affecting T cells in normal immune responses would be of enormous value. In this paper the basic properties of these channels and compounds known to influence their operation are reviewed.
多种细胞类型（如心肌细胞、平滑肌细胞和神经元）的离子通道是许多治疗用药物的作用靶点。T细胞也表达一系列离子通道，这些通道是深入研究的重点，因为它们可能提供特异性操纵T细胞功能进而调控免疫反应的有效方法。T细胞活化依赖于电压门控钾通道、钙激活钾通道以及钙释放激活钙通道的作用。已知许多肽毒素和小分子可阻断这些通道，但要实现安全有效的临床应用，还需要亲和力和选择性更高的抑制剂。最近发现T细胞中钾通道的表达模式具有亚群特异性，这凸显了这些蛋白质在免疫调节方面的潜力。能够抑制参与自身免疫的T细胞而不影响正常免疫反应中的T细胞的化合物将具有巨大价值。本文综述了这些通道的基本特性以及已知可影响其功能的化合物。
