title: Involvement of membrane channels in autoimmune disorders.
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.
authors: Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, University of Debrecen, Medical and Health Science Center, Debrecen, Hungary.
authors: Zoltán
authors: Z
authors: Varga
authors: Péter
authors: P
authors: Hajdu
authors: György
authors: G
authors: Panyi
authors: Rezso
authors: R
authors: Gáspár
authors: Zoltán
authors: Z
authors: Krasznai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000378:metabolism*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000502:physiology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D007473:Ion Channels