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Fazio L, Naik VN, Therpurakal RN, Gomez Osorio FM, Rychlik N, Ladewig J, Strüber M, Cerina M, Meuth SG, Budde T. Retigabine, a potassium channel opener, restores thalamocortical neuron functionality in a murine model of autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 122:202-215. [PMID: 39142423 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.08.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune neurodegenerative disease, whose primary hallmark is the occurrence of inflammatory lesions in white and grey matter structures. Increasing evidence in MS patients and respective murine models reported an impaired ionic homeostasis driven by inflammatory-demyelination, thereby profoundly affecting signal propagation. However, the impact of a focal inflammatory lesion on single-cell and network functionality has hitherto not been fully elucidated. OBJECTIVES In this study, we sought to determine the consequences of a localized cortical inflammatory lesion on the excitability and firing pattern of thalamic neurons in the auditory system. Moreover, we tested the neuroprotective effect of Retigabine (RTG), a specific Kv7 channel opener, on disease outcome. METHODS To resemble the human disease, we focally administered pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNF-α and IFN-γ, in the primary auditory cortex (A1) of MOG35-55 immunized mice. Thereafter, we investigated the impact of the induced inflammatory milieu on afferent thalamocortical (TC) neurons, by performing ex vivo recordings. Moreover, we explored the effect of Kv7 channel modulation with RTG on auditory information processing, using in vivo electrophysiological approaches. RESULTS Our results revealed that a cortical inflammatory lesion profoundly affected the excitability and firing pattern of neighboring TC neurons. Noteworthy, RTG restored control-like values and TC tonotopic mapping. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that RTG treatment might robustly mitigate inflammation-induced altered excitability and preserve ascending information processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Fazio
- Department of Neurology, University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Venu Narayanan Naik
- Department of Neurology with Institute of Translational Neurology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany.
| | | | | | - Nicole Rychlik
- Institute of Physiology I, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
| | - Julia Ladewig
- Department of Translational Brain Research, Central Institute of Mental Health (ZI), University of Heidelberg/Medical Faculty Mannheim, Germany; HITBR Hector Institute for Translational Brain Research gGmbH, Mannheim, Germany; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Michael Strüber
- Epilepsy Center Frankfurt Rhine-Main, Center of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany.
| | - Manuela Cerina
- Department of Neurology with Institute of Translational Neurology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Sven G Meuth
- Department of Neurology, University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Thomas Budde
- Institute of Physiology I, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
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Rychlik N, Hundehege P, Budde T. Influence of inflammatory processes on thalamocortical activity. Biol Chem 2023; 404:303-310. [PMID: 36453998 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2022-0215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
It is known that the thalamus plays an important role in pathological brain conditions involved in demyelinating, inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Beside immune cells and cytokines, ion channels were found to be key players in neuroinflammation. MS is a prototypical example of an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that is classified as a channelopathy where abnormal ion channel function leads to symptoms and clinical signs. Here we review the influence of the cytokine-ion channel interaction in the thalamocortical system in demyelination and inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Rychlik
- Institute of Physiology I, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Robert-Koch-Str. 27a, D-48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Petra Hundehege
- Department of Neurology with Institute of Translational Neurology, D-48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Thomas Budde
- Institute of Physiology I, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Robert-Koch-Str. 27a, D-48149 Münster, Germany
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K 2P18.1 translates T cell receptor signals into thymic regulatory T cell development. Cell Res 2022; 32:72-88. [PMID: 34702947 PMCID: PMC8547300 DOI: 10.1038/s41422-021-00580-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
It remains largely unclear how thymocytes translate relative differences in T cell receptor (TCR) signal strength into distinct developmental programs that drive the cell fate decisions towards conventional (Tconv) or regulatory T cells (Treg). Following TCR activation, intracellular calcium (Ca2+) is the most important second messenger, for which the potassium channel K2P18.1 is a relevant regulator. Here, we identify K2P18.1 as a central translator of the TCR signal into the thymus-derived Treg (tTreg) selection process. TCR signal was coupled to NF-κB-mediated K2P18.1 upregulation in tTreg progenitors. K2P18.1 provided the driving force for sustained Ca2+ influx that facilitated NF-κB- and NFAT-dependent expression of FoxP3, the master transcription factor for Treg development and function. Loss of K2P18.1 ion-current function induced a mild lymphoproliferative phenotype in mice, with reduced Treg numbers that led to aggravated experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, while a gain-of-function mutation in K2P18.1 resulted in increased Treg numbers in mice. Our findings in human thymus, recent thymic emigrants and multiple sclerosis patients with a dominant-negative missense K2P18.1 variant that is associated with poor clinical outcomes indicate that K2P18.1 also plays a role in human Treg development. Pharmacological modulation of K2P18.1 specifically modulated Treg numbers in vitro and in vivo. Finally, we identified nitroxoline as a K2P18.1 activator that led to rapid and reversible Treg increase in patients with urinary tract infections. Conclusively, our findings reveal how K2P18.1 translates TCR signals into thymic T cell fate decisions and Treg development, and provide a basis for the therapeutic utilization of Treg in several human disorders.
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The Effect of Mechanical Ventilation on TASK-1 Expression in the Brain in a Rat Model. Can Respir J 2017; 2017:8530352. [PMID: 29093631 PMCID: PMC5637865 DOI: 10.1155/2017/8530352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2017] [Revised: 08/05/2017] [Accepted: 08/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Objective TWIK-related acid-sensitive potassium channel 1 (TASK-1) is closely related to respiratory central control and neuronal injury. We investigated the effect of MV on TASK-1's functions and explored the mechanism using a rat model. Methods Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to three groups: (1) high tidal volume (HVt): MV for four hours with Vt at 10 mL/kg; (2) low Vt (LVt): MV for four hours with Vt at 5 mL/kg; (3) basal (BAS): anesthetized and unventilated animals. We measured lung histology and plasma and brain levels of proteins (IL-6, TNF-α, and S-100B) and determined TASK-1 levels in rat brainstems as a marker of respiratory centre activity. Results The LISs (lung injury scores) were significantly higher in the HVt group. Brain inflammatory cytokines levels were different to those in serum. TASK-1 levels were significantly lower in the MV groups (P = 0.002) and the HVt group tended to have a lower level of TASK-1 than the LVt group. Conclusion MV causes not only lung injury, but also brain injury. MV affects the regulation of the respiratory centre, perhaps causing damage to it. Inflammation is probably not the main mechanism of ventilator-related brain injury.
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Thalamus Degeneration and Inflammation in Two Distinct Multiple Sclerosis Animal Models. J Mol Neurosci 2016; 60:102-14. [PMID: 27491786 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-016-0790-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
There is a broad consensus that multiple sclerosis (MS) represents more than an inflammatory disease: it harbors several characteristic aspects of a classical neurodegenerative disorder, i.e., damage to axons, synapses, and nerve cell bodies. While several accepted paraclinical methods exist to monitor the inflammatory-driven aspects of the disease, techniques to monitor progression of early and late neurodegeneration are still in their infancy and have not been convincingly validated. It was speculated that the thalamus with its multiple reciprocal connections is sensitive to inflammatory processes occurring in different brain regions, thus acting as a "barometer" for diffuse brain parenchymal damage in MS. To what extent the thalamus is affected in commonly applied MS animal models is, however, not known. In this article we describe direct and indirect damage to the thalamus in two distinct MS animal models. In the cuprizone model, we observed primary oligodendrocyte stress which is followed by demyelination, microglia/astrocyte activation, and acute axonal damage. These degenerative cuprizone-induced lesions were found to be more severe in the lateral compared to the medial part of the thalamus. In MOG35-55-induced EAE, in contrast, most parts of the forebrain, including the thalamus were not directly involved in the autoimmune attack. However, important thalamic afferent fiber tracts, such as the spinothalamic tract were inflamed and demyelinated on the spinal cord level. Quantitative immunohistochemistry revealed that this spinal cord inflammatory-demyelination is associated with neuronal loss within the target region of the spinothalamic tract, namely the sensory ventral posterolateral nucleus of the thalamus. This study highlights the possibility of trans-neuronal degeneration as one mechanism of secondary neuronal damage in MS. Further studies are now warranted to investigate involved cell types and cellular mechanisms.
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Ehling P, Meuth P, Eichinger P, Herrmann AM, Bittner S, Pawlowski M, Pankratz S, Herty M, Budde T, Meuth SG. Human T cells in silico: Modelling their electrophysiological behaviour in health and disease. J Theor Biol 2016; 404:236-250. [PMID: 27288542 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2016.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2016] [Revised: 05/27/2016] [Accepted: 06/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Although various types of ion channels are known to have an impact on human T cell effector functions, their exact mechanisms of influence are still poorly understood. The patch clamp technique is a well-established method for the investigation of ion channels in neurons and T cells. However, small cell sizes and limited selectivity of pharmacological blockers restrict the value of this experimental approach. Building a realistic T cell computer model therefore can help to overcome these kinds of limitations as well as reduce the overall experimental effort. The computer model introduced here was fed off ion channel parameters from literature and new experimental data. It is capable of simulating the electrophysiological behaviour of resting and activated human CD4(+) T cells under basal conditions and during extracellular acidification. The latter allows for the very first time to assess the electrophysiological consequences of tissue acidosis accompanying most forms of inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Ehling
- Department of Neurology, and Institute of Translational Neurology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, Building A1, 48149 Münster, Germany.
| | - Patrick Meuth
- Department of Neurology, and Institute of Translational Neurology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, Building A1, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Paul Eichinger
- Department of Neurology, and Institute of Translational Neurology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, Building A1, 48149 Münster, Germany; Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München TUM, Ismaninger Strasse 22, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Alexander M Herrmann
- Department of Neurology, and Institute of Translational Neurology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, Building A1, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Stefan Bittner
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Matthias Pawlowski
- Department of Neurology, and Institute of Translational Neurology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, Building A1, 48149 Münster, Germany; Wellcome Trust and MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, and Anne McLaren Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, University of Cambridge, West Forvie Building, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge, UK
| | - Susann Pankratz
- Department of Neurology, and Institute of Translational Neurology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, Building A1, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Michael Herty
- RWTH Aachen University, Mathematics (Continuous optimization), Templergraben 55, 52056 Aachen, Germany
| | - Thomas Budde
- Institute of Physiology I, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Robert-Koch-Str. 27a, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Sven G Meuth
- Department of Neurology, and Institute of Translational Neurology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, Building A1, 48149 Münster, Germany
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Kipp M, Wagenknecht N, Beyer C, Samer S, Wuerfel J, Nikoubashman O. Thalamus pathology in multiple sclerosis: from biology to clinical application. Cell Mol Life Sci 2015; 72:1127-47. [PMID: 25417212 PMCID: PMC11113280 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-014-1787-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2014] [Revised: 10/29/2014] [Accepted: 11/17/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
There is a broad consensus that MS represents more than an inflammatory disease: it harbors several characteristic aspects of a classical neurodegenerative disorder, i.e. damage to axons, synapses and nerve cell bodies. While the clinician is equipped with appropriate tools to dampen peripheral cell recruitment and, thus, is able to prevent immune-cell driven relapses, effective therapeutic options to prevent the simultaneously progressing neurodegeneration are still missing. Furthermore, while several sophisticated paraclinical methods exist to monitor the inflammatory-driven aspects of the disease, techniques to monitor progression of early neurodegeneration are still in their infancy and have not been convincingly validated. In this review article, we aim to elaborate why the thalamus with its multiple reciprocal connections is sensitive to pathological processes occurring in different brain regions, thus acting as a "barometer" for diffuse brain parenchymal damage in MS. The thalamus might be, thus, an ideal region of interest to test the effectiveness of new neuroprotective MS drugs. Especially, we will address underlying pathological mechanisms operant during thalamus degeneration in MS, such as trans-neuronal or Wallerian degeneration. Furthermore, we aim at giving an overview about different paraclinical methods used to estimate the extent of thalamic pathology in MS patients, and we discuss their limitations. Finally, thalamus involvement in different MS animal models will be described, and their relevance for the design of preclinical trials elaborated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Kipp
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Wendlingweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany,
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Ehling P, Cerina M, Budde T, Meuth SG, Bittner S. The CNS under pathophysiologic attack--examining the role of K₂p channels. Pflugers Arch 2014; 467:959-72. [PMID: 25482672 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-014-1664-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2014] [Revised: 11/17/2014] [Accepted: 11/28/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Members of the two-pore domain K(+) channel (K2P) family are increasingly recognized as being potential targets for therapeutic drugs and could play a role in the diagnosis and treatment of neurologic disorders. Their broad and diverse expression pattern in pleiotropic cell types, importance in cellular function, unique biophysical properties, and sensitivity toward pathophysiologic parameters represent the basis for their involvement in disorders of the central nervous system (CNS). This review will focus on multiple sclerosis (MS) and stroke, as there is growing evidence for the involvement of K2P channels in these two major CNS disorders. In MS, TASK1-3 channels are expressed on T lymphocytes and are part of a signaling network regulating Ca(2+)- dependent pathways that are mandatory for T cell activation, differentiation, and effector functions. In addition, TASK1 channels are involved in neurodegeneration, resulting in autoimmune attack of CNS cells. On the blood-brain barrier, TREK1 channels regulate immune cell trafficking under autoinflammatory conditions. Cerebral ischemia shares some pathophysiologic similarities with MS, including hypoxia and extracellular acidosis. On a cellular level, K2P channels can have both proapoptotic and antiapoptotic effects, either promoting neurodegeneration or protecting neurons from ischemic cell death. TASK1 and TREK1 channels have a neuroprotective effect on stroke development, whereas TASK2 channels have a detrimental effect on neuronal survival under ischemic conditions. Future research in preclinical models is needed to provide a more detailed understanding of the contribution of K2P channel family members to neurologic disorders, before translation to the clinic is an option.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Ehling
- Department of Neurology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany,
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Schattling B, Eggert B, Friese MA. Acquired channelopathies as contributors to development and progression of multiple sclerosis. Exp Neurol 2014; 262 Pt A:28-36. [PMID: 24656770 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2013.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2013] [Accepted: 12/13/2013] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS), the most frequent inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS), affects about two and a half million individuals worldwide and causes major burdens to the patients, which develop the disease usually at the age of 20 to 40. MS is likely referable to a breakdown of immune cell tolerance to CNS self-antigens resulting in focal immune cell infiltration, activation of microglia and astrocytes, demyelination and axonal and neuronal loss. Here we discuss how altered expression patterns and dysregulated functions of ion channels contribute on a molecular level to nearly all pathophysiological steps of the disease. In particular the detrimental redistribution of ion channels along axons, as well as neuronal excitotoxicity with regard to imbalanced glutamate homeostasis during chronic CNS inflammation will be discussed in detail. Together, we describe which ion channels in the immune and nervous system commend as attractive future drugable targets in MS treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Schattling
- Zentrum für Molekulare Neurobiologie, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Falkenried 94, D-20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Britta Eggert
- Zentrum für Molekulare Neurobiologie, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Falkenried 94, D-20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Manuel A Friese
- Zentrum für Molekulare Neurobiologie, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Falkenried 94, D-20251 Hamburg, Germany.
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Hawkins V, Butt A. TASK-1 channels in oligodendrocytes: a role in ischemia mediated disruption. Neurobiol Dis 2013; 55:87-94. [PMID: 23567653 PMCID: PMC3657199 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2013.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2013] [Revised: 03/13/2013] [Accepted: 03/29/2013] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Oligodendrocytes are the myelinating cells of the CNS and, like neurons, are highly sensitive to ischemic damage. However, the mechanisms underlying cytotoxicity in oligodendrocytes during hypoxic/ischemic episodes are not fully understood. TASK-1 is a K(+) leak channel that mediates hypoxic depolarisation in neurons. The expression and function of TASK-1 in oligodendrocytes had not previously been addressed. In this study, we investigate the expression of TASK-1 in oligodendrocytes and its role in white matter ischemic damage. Expression of TASK-1 in oligodendrocytes was investigated in the mouse brain using immunostaining. TASK-1 channel function was identified by established pharmacological and electrophysiological strategies, using the whole-cell patch clamp technique in cell cultures of oligodendrocytes from the optic nerve, a typical white matter tract. The role of TASK-1 in hypoxia was examined in isolated intact optic nerves subjected to oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD). Oligodendrocytes are strongly immunopositive for TASK-1 throughout the brain. Patch-clamp identified functional TASK-1-like leak currents in oligodendrocytes using two recognised means of inhibiting TASK-1, decreasing extracellular pH to 6.4 and exposure to the TASK-1 selective inhibitor anandamide. Incubation of optic nerves with methanandamide, a non-hydrolysable form of anandamide, significantly protected oligodendrocytes against hypoxic disruption and death in OGD. Our data demonstrate for the first time that oligodendrocytes express functional TASK-1 channels and provide compelling evidence they contribute to oligodendrocyte damage in hypoxia. Since oligodendrocyte damage is a key factor in ischemic episodes, TASK-1 may provide a potential therapeutic target in stroke and white matter disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Arthur Butt
- Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Science, University of Portsmouth, St Michael's Building, White Swan Rd, Portsmouth, PO1 2DT, UK
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Bittner S, Budde T, Wiendl H, Meuth SG. From the background to the spotlight: TASK channels in pathological conditions. Brain Pathol 2010; 20:999-1009. [PMID: 20529081 PMCID: PMC8094868 DOI: 10.1111/j.1750-3639.2010.00407.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2010] [Accepted: 04/13/2010] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
TWIK-related acid-sensitive potassium channels (TASK1-3) belong to the family of two-pore domain (K(2P) ) potassium channels. Emerging knowledge about an involvement of TASK channels in cancer development, inflammation, ischemia and epilepsy puts the spotlight on a leading role of TASK channels under these conditions. TASK3 has been especially linked to cancer development. The pro-oncogenic potential of TASK3 could be shown in cell lines and in various tumor entities. Pathophysiological hallmarks in solid tumors (e.g. low pH and oxygen deprivation) regulate TASK3 channels. These conditions can also be found in (autoimmune) inflammation. Inhibition of TASK1,2,3 leads to a reduction of T cell effector function. It could be demonstrated that TASK1(-/-) mice are protected from experimental autoimmune inflammation while the same animals display increased infarct volumes after cerebral ischemia. Furthermore, TASK channels have both an anti-epileptic as well as a pro-epileptic potential. The relative contribution of these opposing influences depends on their cell type-specific expression and the conditions of the cellular environment. This indicates that TASK channels are per se neither protective nor detrimental but their functional impact depends on the "pathophysiological" scenario. Based on these findings TASK channels have evolved from "mere background" channels to key modulators in pathophysiological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Bittner
- Department of Neurology, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Budde
- Institute of Physiology I, Westfaelische Wilhelms‐University Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Heinz Wiendl
- Department of Neurology—Inflammatory disorders of the nervous system and neurooncology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Sven G. Meuth
- Department of Neurology, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
- Department of Neurology—Inflammatory disorders of the nervous system and neurooncology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
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Judge SIV, Smith PJ. Patents related to therapeutic activation of K(ATP) and K(2P) potassium channels for neuroprotection: ischemic/hypoxic/anoxic injury and general anesthetics. Expert Opin Ther Pat 2009; 19:433-60. [PMID: 19441925 DOI: 10.1517/13543770902765151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mechanisms of neuroprotection encompass energy deficits in brain arising from insufficient oxygen and glucose levels following respiratory failure; ischemia or stroke, which produce metabolic stresses that lead to unconsciousness and seizures; and the effects of general anesthetics. Foremost among those K(+) channels viewed as important for neuroprotection are ATP-sensitive (K(ATP)) channels, which belong to the family of inwardly rectifying K(+) channels (K(ir)) and contain a sulfonylurea subunit (SUR1 or SUR2) combined with either K(ir)6.1 (KCNJ8) or K(ir)6.2 (KCNJ11) channel pore-forming alpha-subunits, and various members of the tandem two-pore or background (K(2P)) K(+) channel family, including K(2P)1.1 (KCNK1 or TWIK1), K(2P)2.1 (KCNK2 or TREK/TREK1), K(2P)3.1 (KCNK3 or TASK), K(2P)4.1 (KCNK4 or TRAAK), and K(2P)10.1 (KCNK10 or TREK2). OBJECTIVES This review covers patents and patent applications related to inventions of therapeutics, compound screening methods and diagnostics, including K(ATP) channel openers and blockers, as well as K(ATP) and K(2P) nucleic/amino acid sequences and proteins, vectors, transformed cells and transgenic animals. Although the focus of this patent review is on brain and neuroprotection, patents covering inventions of K(ATP) channel openers for cardioprotection, diabetes mellitus and obesity, where relevant, are addressed. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS Overall, an important emerging therapeutic mechanism underlying neuroprotection is activation/opening of K(ATP) and K(2P) channels. To this end substantial progress has been made in identifying and patenting agents that target K(ATP) channels. However, current K(2P) channels patents encompass compound screening and diagnostics methodologies, reflecting an earlier 'discovery' stage (target identification/validation) than K(ATP) in the drug development pipeline; this reveals a wide-open field for the discovery and development of K(2P)-targeting compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan I V Judge
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, MS Center of Excellence-East, VA Maryland Health Care System, Department of Neurology, BRB 12-040, 655 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
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