title: Toxins Targeting the Kv1.3 Channel: Potential Immunomodulators for Autoimmune Diseases.
abstract: Autoimmune diseases are usually accompanied by tissue injury caused by autoantigen-specific T-cells. KV1.3 channels participate in modulating calcium signaling to induce T-cell proliferation, immune activation and cytokine production. Effector memory T (TEM)-cells, which play major roles in many autoimmune diseases, are controlled by blocking KV1.3 channels on the membrane. Toxins derived from animal venoms have been found to selectively target a variety of ion channels, including KV1.3. By blocking the KV1.3 channel, these toxins are able to suppress the activation and proliferation of TEM cells and may improve TEM cell-mediated autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and type I diabetes mellitus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China. zhaoyipeng@whu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yipeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China. jiehuang@whu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China. yuanxiaolu@whu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiaolu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China. pengbiwen@whu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Biwen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China. liuwanhong@whu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Wanhong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China. songhan@whu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China. hexiaohua@whu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiaohua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051664:Kv1.3 Potassium Channel / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D014118:Toxins, Biological / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D051664:Kv1.3 Potassium Channel; D014118:Toxins, Biological
keywords: KV1.3 channel; autoimmune diseases; effector memory T-cell; toxins