Kim Donghee
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, The Chicago Medical School, 3333 Green Bay Road, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA.
Curr Pharm Des. 2005;11(21):2717-36. doi: 10.2174/1381612054546824.
Searching the DNA database has led to the identification of a class of K+ channels now referred to as two-pore or tandem-pore domain K+ (K2P) channels. The K2P channel is structurally unique in that each subunit possesses two pore-forming domains and four transmembrane segments. In mammals, sixteen K2P channel genes have been identified, and their mRNA transcripts are expressed in many different cell types and tissues. K2P channels have properties of background or leak K+ channels, and therefore play a crucial role in setting the resting membrane potential and regulating cell excitability. Some K2P channels are activated by certain physical and chemical factors such as lipids, volatile anesthetics, heat, oxygen, protons and membrane tension. Some K2P channels are targets of agonists that bind receptors coupled to different types of G proteins, and are probably involved in a variety of neurotransmitter and peptide hormone-mediated signal transduction processes. Such diverse properties of K2P channels suggest that they are involved in many different physiological and pathophysiological processes. Therefore, K2P channels could become potentially important therapeutic targets for the treatment of various pathological conditions.
对DNA数据库的搜索已导致鉴定出一类现在被称为双孔或串联孔结构域钾离子（K2P）通道的钾离子通道。K2P通道在结构上是独特的，因为每个亚基都拥有两个成孔结构域和四个跨膜片段。在哺乳动物中，已鉴定出16个K2P通道基因，它们的mRNA转录本在许多不同的细胞类型和组织中表达。K2P通道具有背景或泄漏钾离子通道的特性，因此在设定静息膜电位和调节细胞兴奋性方面起着至关重要的作用。一些K2P通道被某些物理和化学因素激活，如脂质、挥发性麻醉剂、热、氧、质子和膜张力。一些K2P通道是与不同类型G蛋白偶联的受体激动剂的靶点，可能参与多种神经递质和肽激素介导的信号转导过程。K2P通道的这些多样特性表明它们参与了许多不同的生理和病理生理过程。因此，K2P通道可能成为治疗各种病理状况的潜在重要治疗靶点。
