Ion Channel-Target Toxicology

Ion Channel-Target Toxicology

The saying " use poison as an antidote to poison " has long been considered the spirit of traditional Chinese medicine and herbalism since Ming Dynasty and has indicated the medical values of toxins arising from venomous animals, plants, microbes, or synthetic chemicals. A well-known physician Sir P. M. Latham (1789–1875) once defined the relationship between poisons and medicines as " oftentim...

Ion Channel Trafficking: Control of Ion Channel Density as a Target for Arrhythmias?

The shape of the cardiac action potential (AP) is determined by the contributions of numerous ion channels. Any dysfunction in the proper function or expression of these ion channels can result in a change in effective refractory period (ERP) and lead to arrhythmia. The processes underlying the correct targeting of ion channels to the plasma membrane are complex, and have not been fully charact...

KCa3.1 ion channel: A novel therapeutic target for corneal fibrosis

Vision impairment from corneal fibrosis is a common consequence of irregular corneal wound healing after injury. Intermediate-conductance calmodulin/calcium-activated K+ channels 3.1 (KCa3.1) play an important role in cell cycle progression and cellular proliferation. Proliferation and differentiation of corneal fibroblasts to myofibroblasts can lead to corneal fibrosis after injury. KCa3.1 has...

Ion channel activity drives ion channel expression.

Calcium-permeable acid-sensing ion channel is a molecular target of the neurotoxic metal ion lead.

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are emerging as fundamental players in the regulation of neural plasticity and in pathological conditions. Here we showed that lead (Pb2+), a well known neurotoxic metal ion, reversibly and concentration-dependently inhibited ASIC currents in the acutely dissociated spinal dorsal horn and hippocampal CA1 neurons of rats. In vitro expression of ASIC subunits in ...