title: Receptor-operated Ca2+ influx channels in leukocytes: a therapeutic target?
abstract: Receptor-mediated activation of leukocytes by inflammatory stimuli elicits Ca2+ ion influx as a common and important activation mechanism that has been well established in the literature for over a decade. Inhibiting such receptor-operated Ca2+ influx channels is a potentially attractive strategy for developing anti-inflammatory drugs to attenuate leukocyte activation. Until very recently, the molecular identity of these channels has been unknown, which has hampered drug development in this area. However, the recent explosion of molecular information about one particular family of non-voltage-activated Ca2+ channels, the transient receptor potential (TRP) channels, together with emerging knowledge of their distribution, function and regulation, suggests that they represent a key subgroup of these channels and are therefore potentially attractive drug targets.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Diseases Therapeutic Area, Novartis Pharma Research, Novartis Respiratory Research Centre, Wimblehurst Road, West Sussex, RH12 5AB, Horsham, UK. su.li@pharma.novartis.com
authors.forename: Su W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Westwick
authors.forename: Chris T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Poll
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D002148:Calmodulin-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D050051:Transient Receptor Potential Channels
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D002148:Calmodulin-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D050051:Transient Receptor Potential Channels; C074192:trpl protein, Drosophila; D002118:Calcium