title: In-Depth Study of the Interaction, Sensitivity, and Gating Modulation by PUFAs on K+Channels; Interaction and New Targets.
abstract: Voltage gated potassium channels (KV) are membrane proteins that allow selective flow of K+ions in a voltage-dependent manner. These channels play an important role in several excitable cells as neurons, cardiomyocytes, and vascular smooth muscle. Over the last 20 years, it has been shown that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) enhance or decrease the activity of several cardiac KVchannels. PUFAs-dependent modulation of potassium ion channels has been reported to be cardioprotective. However, the precise cellular mechanism underlying the cardiovascular benefits remained unclear in part because new PUFAs targets and signaling pathways continue being discovered. In this review, we will focus on recent data available concerning the following aspects of the KVchannel modulation by PUFAs: (i) the exact residues involved in PUFAs-KVchannels interaction; (ii) the structural PUFAs determinants important for their effects on KVchannels; (iii) the mechanism of the gating modulation of KVchannels and, finally, (iv) the PUFAs modulation of a few new targets present in smooth muscle cells (SMC), KCa1.1, K2P, and KATPchannels, involved in vascular relaxation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University Medical Centre Maastricht, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Modelos Experimentales de Enfermedades Humanas, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" CSIC - Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de la Cruz
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Modelos Experimentales de Enfermedades Humanas, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" CSIC - Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Valenzuela
keywords: K2P; KATP; KCA; Kv7.1; PUFAs; lipoelectric hypothesis; shaker K channels