Authors: Zoltan Varga,; Peter Hajdu,; Gyorgy Panyi,; Rezso Gaspar,; Zoltan Krasznai,

Source: Current Pharmaceutical Design, Volume 13, Number 24, August 2007 , pp. 2456-2468(13)

Publisher: Bentham Science Publishers

Abstract:

Ion channels are ubiquitous transmembrane proteins that are involved in a wide variety of cellular functions by selectively controlling the passage of ions across the plasma membrane. Among these functions many immune processes, including those in autoimmune reactions, also rely on the operation of ion channels, but the roles of ion channels can be very diverse. Here the participation of ion channels in three different roles in autoimmune processes is discussed: 1. ion channels in effector immune cells attacking other tissues causing autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis; 2. ion channels as direct targets of the immune system whereby loss of channel function leads to disease, as in myasthenia gravis; 3. ion channels whose function is modulated in the target cells by an apoptotic signal transduction cascade, such as the Fas/Fas ligand pathway. The numerous tasks that ion channels perform in autoimmune disorders and the wealth of information that has been gathered about them in recent years together provide a good basis for the design and production of drugs that may be effectively used in the therapy of these diseases.

Keywords: Ion channel; autoimmunity; autoantibody; T cell; channelopathy; Fas signaling

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138161207781368576

Affiliations: 1: Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, University of Debrecen, Medical and Health Science Center, 98. Nagyerdei krt., Debrecen, Hungary, H-4102.

Publication date: 2007-08-01

More about this publication?

• Current Pharmaceutical Design publishes timely in-depth reviews covering all aspects of current research in rational drug design. Each issue is devoted to a single major therapeutic area. A Guest Editor who is an acknowledged authority in a therapeutic field has solicits for each issue comprehensive and timely reviews from leading researchers in the pharmaceutical industry and academia.
  
  Each thematic issue of Current Pharmaceutical Design covers all subject areas of major importance to modern drug design, including: medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, drug targets and disease mechanism.

Related content

• In this: publication
• By this: publisher
• In this Subject: Pharmacology
• By this author: Zoltan Varga, ;  Peter Hajdu, ;  Gyorgy Panyi, ;  Rezso Gaspar, ;  Zoltan Krasznai,

Website © Publishing Technology. Article copyright remains with the publisher, society or author(s) as specified within the article.

• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Information for advertisers